The Long Road Home
by Andrina
Summary: Sasuke wakes up to a world of pain, yet the road to redemption has never looked more tempting. Sasusaku, post-war.
1. Chapter 1

_Standard disclaimer applies._

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke wakes up to the muted beeps of a heartbeat monitor and a world of pain.

The first grunt of discomfort barely escapes him before he feels cool healing chakra pool on his gaping chest wound. Sasuke struggles to open his eyes and he struggles to breathe, but his body simply refuses to cooperate. Pain explodes – in his head, his chest, his legs, _everywhere_. Unable to help it, Sasuke gasps. In a blurry moment of weakness, he lets his face twist into a tight grimace. One arm comes up, unheeding of the tubes lodged in the back of his hand, and he tries to push himself up.

Someone catches his wrist in a firm but gentle grip and forces his arm back down. "Easy," murmurs a soft female voice. The healing chakra never wavers.

He tenses, before slowly forcing himself to relax. He knows that voice.

It takes a few more tries before he manages to open his eyes. The strong glare from a naked light bulb, inconsiderately placed right above his head, makes his eyes sting. He ignores the discomfort in favor of assessing his surroundings for immediate threats. He is in a medical tent, he realizes. In the distance, he hears people barking orders. There is movement from outside the tent.

The war is over, Sasuke thinks. Relief seeps softly into his bones.

His wary gaze settles on the pink-haired young woman standing before him. She is not a threat, he knows, which is why he has ignored her initially. She is not looking at him now. Glowing green chakra coats her palms as she holds them just above his bare chest. Her expression is closed.

"Sakura," he rasps. Her name clings to his tongue, heavy and regretful and soft. He does not bother asking about the outcome of the war – it is clear that they have won. Amidst the red haze of pain and cold sweat, he manages another word: "Naruto?"

She says nothing, but he catches the relief that flits across her features as she glances briefly at him. That is enough for Sasuke, so he lets his eyes clench shut. Sakura's gaze turns clinical as she observes the raw skin knitting together under her palms. The pain slowly subsides; Sasuke feels a bone-deep exhaustion and lightheadedness taking its place. Disoriented, he opens his eyes again. For a few moments, he watches Sakura heal him in silence.

Eventually Sakura pulls away, running an assessing gaze over his prone form. Sasuke almost misses the trickle of her soothing chakra – now there is nothing to distract him from the burn of his wounds. Sakura moves soundlessly to the end of the bed, where she proceeds to jot something down on a stack of forms held by a clipboard. She eyes him briefly when she is done. Already, he can feel darkness creeping in at the corners of his vision.

Sakura regards him. There is dirt and blood streaked across her face, and purpling bruises scattered around her pale arms and neck. She smiles at last, and Sasuke closes his eyes in response. There is something terrible and bland and colorless about that smile.

"Welcome back, Sasuke-kun," she says neutrally. Her voice is flute-like. It tickles against the edges of his consciousness before it softly slips away.

* * *

**The Long Road Home**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

(_the smell of fresh paint_)

"Hey teme." Naruto's grin is glorious. It is nearly as bright as the sun that blazed down above them this afternoon.

Sasuke does not bother opening his eyes. He does, however, incline his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"How's that hole in your chest?" Naruto continues conversationally. The blonde drops down on the grass beside him with a happy sigh. Still, Sasuke says nothing. With his eyes closed and his chakra sealed off, he can feel the muted flickering presence of six ANBU guards hidden in the surroundings. Sasuke ignores them all. He is used to their presence by now.

Instead, he takes a slow, deep breath. It is a lazy Saturday morning. They are away from prying eyes for now, deep within the private gardens of Konoha General Hospital – one of the first places to be rebuilt after the war. Summer hangs thick and heavy in the air. While Sasuke will never admit it, he has missed the warm lush summers of his childhood.

The smell of fresh paint lingers in the air. It is a subtle reminder of the construction works going on in the west wing; some parts of the hospital are still being rebuilt. Beside him, Naruto begins babbling away about Konoha's current state of reconstruction. There are large splotches of white paint across that orange monstrosity of an outfit he is wearing today – perhaps _that_ explains the smell of paint – and he tells Sasuke excitedly about how he spent his morning painting the Academy. In truth, Sasuke does not care either way. But it is a good day, so he is content to let Naruto be.

It has been three months since his return to Konoha. It was – is _still_ – not an easy decision. His hatred of Konoha ran deep, and it has been far too long since he has settled in one place. On some days he feels like he is physically choking from the demons of his youth and it is all he can do not to lose himself to an unspeakable madness that threatens to claw out his insides. Yet, sometime during his precarious balance between life and death at the end of the war, Sasuke makes a promise to himself. He will bleed the evil from Konoha's depths and watch her change.

So Sasuke swallows his rage and he swallows his madness. He tries his best to push his demons away.

Naruto helps. Naruto burns bright and steadfast; a much-needed anchor in this rough sea. He is the brother who had never left his side, and Sasuke knows he would have been lost a long time ago if it were not for Naruto's unwavering faith.

Tsunade helps too. Tsunade is harsh – almost cruel sometimes – but she is fair and immensely skilled. Tsunade prescribes him sleeping pills and painkillers and anti-depressants with a sort of cool efficiency that promises no judgments. She glares at him a lot and her wrath is a fearsome thing, but Sasuke's sharp eyes sees the compassion that lurks just behind the steely glint of her eyes.

She wants to heal his mind, she says. Sasuke demurs. He is not quite ready for that yet.

Konoha has him arrested and placed under heavy guard in the hospital. His Sharingan and chakra pathways are to be sealed for six months at least – which is ridiculously bothersome, since that means that it will take him a much longer time to heal from his war injuries. In the meantime, they send him for batteries of physical and mental tests.

Konoha also subjects him to regular rounds of intense interrogation. Sasuke offers minimal resistance – he can't care less about the information they want, to be honest. He meets Yamanaka Ino in the depths of the interrogation chambers, alongside Morino Ibiki. He remembers the Ino of his childhood to be impossibly obnoxious and terrifyingly loud. But when he encounters her during one of these rounds, she is all cool professionalism and ruthless skill.

Once he is deemed fit to stand trial, Konoha will decide his fate. Sasuke is unconcerned. The truth behind the Uchiha massacre is now common knowledge. Itachi's name has been cleared, and that is enough for him. With most of the Elders killed during the war – including a number of deaths which Sasuke has _personally _ensured can never be traced back to him – a new Council is now in place. Naruto brings him new updates from time to time.

"Oi, teme," Naruto says, breaking into his train of thought. "You're looking constipated again."

Sasuke snorts. He is about to tell Naruto to get lost when his friend fixes him with an intense, fierce look. "Have you seen Sakura-chan lately?" Naruto asks seriously.

Sasuke shakes his head. He hasn't seen Sakura much at all. She has been by a couple of times over the past few months – she does work in the building in which he is currently trapped in, after all. But the years – and their terrible, twisted history – have put a cool insurmountable distance between them. She smiles and she calls him Sasuke-kun and she's even brought him apples once. He knows she's trying. Unfortunately he only recalls the tightness around her eyes, the careful way in which she holds herself. She never stays long.

Sasuke understands. His return makes her uncomfortable. He thinks that he should feel sorry about the state of their frayed bonds. Unfortunately, there is very little in the world today that can move Uchiha Sasuke so.

Naruto sags with disappointment at his response. "Me neither," he confesses. "Poor Sakura-chan," he laments, picking idly at a daisy. "They're working the crap out of her."

Sasuke hears what is left unsaid: _I'm really worried about her. I miss her. _

The bond between Naruto and Sakura is a beautiful thing. Sasuke doesn't recognize the care and love that runs between his former teammates. It is a bond that was forged and set during the years he had been away. Naruto has always loved Sakura, and has only grown to love her more as the years passed. Sakura is no longer the object of his childish infatuations – she is more. She is _family_ now. Naruto loves and cherishes her with a purity that Sasuke can barely begin to comprehend. He will never admit it, but the lack of understanding and the unfamiliarity leaves him feeling curiously empty.

Naruto is right, though. Sakura is incredibly busy. In the aftermath of the war, Sasuke finds himself somewhat neglected and bored. The whole of Konoha is busy trying to pull itself together. Warriors like Naruto and killers like himself are not needed at the moment; it is the builders and the teachers and the healers like Sakura who are leading the way now.

He catches glimpses of Sakura around the hospital. She is always talking to someone, giving orders, calling for files. Sometimes there is blood speckled across the front of her scrubs – she might have finished another daunting surgery. Sometimes he spots her striding purposefully down the corridor late at night, nursing a mug of hot putrid coffee.

Sakura will always spare him a distracted smile if their paths cross. She never ignores him explicitly. Sasuke inevitably finds himself observing the way her wispy pink hair is tucked messily behind her ears, the paleness of her skin. More often than not, though, she simply tries to avoid him altogether by choosing a different route. She is trying to be subtle about it, but Sasuke knows anyway.

"Well, since we're already in the hospital, I'm gonna hunt her down," Naruto declares. He leaps to his feet, grinning. "Coming, teme?"

Sasuke doesn't reply immediately. Chances are that Sakura will be busy with something anyway, so what is the point? But then Naruto's gaze turns pleading and he opens his mouth to whine, so Sasuke sighs and gives in. "Fine," he says dully. "Will you leave me alone after that?"

Naruto's mischievous grin isn't exactly reassuring, but Sasuke takes what he can get.

* * *

(_late, night out_)

"OI! _Sasuke-teme!_"

Sasuke recoils slightly as an inebriated Naruto pounces upon him. His nose crinkles slightly as Naruto slings a sweaty arm around his shoulders and waves manically at a young man behind the bar. "A beer for my best pal!" he all but shrieks in excitement.

Sasuke lets out a long-suffering sigh, trying to dislodge himself from Naruto's surprisingly firm grip. He halts the bartender with a firm hand. "Sake," he corrects calmly. Then, because the nights are turning long and chilly with the onset of autumn, he adds, "Warmed, please."

They are in a newly-built izakaya in the heart of town. Naruto tells him that this used to be one of the most popular places around before it was torn apart by the war. They've rebuilt it now, and the owners are celebrating with heavily discounted drinks and complimentary food. Naruto chooses this moment to shove a plate of steaming fried chicken in his face. "You gotta try this," his friend enthuses, leading him deeper into the establishment. "This place is amazing!"

Sasuke declines the offer, and tries not to smirk at the bits of fried chicken clinging onto Naruto's cheeks. Naruto rolls his eyes. "Suit yourself," he retorts. They turn a corner, and suddenly they find themselves outdoors. It is a heated beer garden, decorated with glowing lanterns. Sasuke raises a brow. Not quite a traditional izakaya then.

Naruto beckons, heading towards a corner of the garden. "Come on, the others are already here," he says happily. Sasuke shrugs and follows.

The others. That's right. The Council delivered the verdict on Sasuke's trial today. Sasuke knows he has gotten off lightly – they are putting him on one year of house arrest, chakra sealing and heavy surveillance, followed by two years of probation. In this time, he is to assist Konoha in rebuilding efforts and enemy base destruction. He is not allowed to leave Konoha, and Tsunade orders him to submit to regular physical tests. Sasuke has already spent six months under ANBU surveillance in the hospital, so really, it is only six months of house arrest. It is an incredibly light sentence, and Sasuke knows that there are many who have spoken up in his defence. It is a realization that leaves him feeling oddly uncomfortable and lost.

Naruto, with his dogged persistence and ridiculous charm, has somehow managed to persuade Tsunade and the Council to delay the start of Sasuke's remaining sentence by a day. In a fit of sentimentality, Tsunade agrees, so Naruto pulls together a celebratory bash in the span of a few hours. It is here that Sasuke finds himself, surrounded by what's left of the Rookie 9 in a dimly lit garden.

He pauses for a moment, as the others turn towards him. He has seen them all at various points during the war and since his return, but never together. This close, he can see how age has sharpened their features and darkened their eyes. It is surreal.

"Uchiha Sasuke-san!" Lee is the first to greet him. He waves energetically, a beer bottle clutched tightly in one hand. Alcohol brightens his eyes and reddens his cheeks. Sasuke nods stiffly.

The acknowledgements begin. The greetings are not void of suspicion, but they are polite and kind, for the most part. Hyuuga Hinata smiles warmly at him and murmurs her welcome. Kiba half-snarls, half-smirks at him and keeps his distance. Shikamaru nods and offers a small smile before he attempts to subdue Ino, who, emboldened by alcohol, bats her eyelashes and lays a hand coyly on Sasuke's arm. She says nothing of the things she has seen when she picked his brain apart in the interrogation chambers.

Sakura is conspicuously absent.

Naruto breaks away from him soon after, and Sasuke spots him speaking lowly but earnestly to Hinata in a corner. There is a tremulous contented smile hanging from her lips, and her eyes glow with pleasure as she listens to the blonde.

Kakashi appears at some point, and Sasuke follow his former teacher to the bar. They don't say very much to each other save for the obligatory greetings, but that is fine. Sasuke and Kakashi have always been that way. They order more sake – the best in the house, in fact – and drink together peaceably. Kakashi mentions that Sakura is still in the hospital – emergency surgery, apparently – but she's promised to come along at some point. Sasuke grunts. He doesn't really care or mind, to be honest.

The conversation veers gently into training and techniques. Alcohol wraps Sasuke's senses in a warm, pleasurable cloak. They begin discussing the finer points of lightning-based jutsu, and for a moment, Sasuke allows himself to pretend that he's never left.

At last, Kakashi claps a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "It's good to see you back, Sasuke," the older man says quietly. His voice is tired but full of something light. "I hope Konoha brings you peace."

Sasuke says nothing. When the bill arrives, he waves Kakashi off. Kakashi's eyes glint and he nods. He understands that it is as close an apology as Sasuke is ever going to give.

Kakashi departs soon after, muttering about leaving the young ones to enjoy themselves. Sasuke wanders back into the garden. He spots the others still in the same corner, looking increasingly intoxicated now. Ino's cheek is pressed into Shikamaru's chest; she looks like she's having some difficulty sitting up by herself. Shikamaru, on the other hand, has a look of exasperation on his face. He calls out to Choji, gesturing to Ino, but his large friend is oblivious to the world as he helps himself to a multitude of dishes placed on a nearby table. If Sasuke were a lesser man, he might have chuckled at Shikamaru's suffering.

Ino bolts up suddenly. Her hair has come out of its usual tie, and spills over her shoulders in long golden streams. "_Sakura_!" she cries happily, lurching out of her seat. Shikamaru mutters an expletive and reaches out to steady his teammate. She tumbles backwards with a surprised giggle, falling messily into Shikamaru's lap.

"Stay still and stop moving, you troublesome woman," Shikamaru complains. His hold is gentle, despite the roughness of his tone. "Stay still before you throw up again."

"You puked _already_?" Sakura exclaims as she approaches. Sasuke watches her from the corner of his eye. Her hair is tucked messily behind her ears and her eyes are bright and green. It is clear that she has come straight from the hospital. Sasuke guesses, from the relaxed quirk of her lips, that the surgery has gone well. She breezes past him and towards Ino, sweeping her friend into a quick hug. Ino reaches out awkwardly from where she is splayed across Shikamaru's lap. Sasuke wants to smirk at the look that crosses the male's face as he tries to move away from the pile of festering female affections taking place on his lap.

"Sorry I'm late," Sakura explains as she pulls away. "The lab reports took _forever_ to be signed off." Her voice is clear and expressive. Ino's voice lurches into a high whine of complaint, but Sasuke is focused only on the animated ups and downs of Sakura's bell-like voice. He realizes absently that he has not spoken to Sakura in a few months now.

Sasuke loses interest in their conversation soon after. It is getting late, and Naruto (and Hinata) is nowhere to be seen. Sasuke shrugs and decides to indulge himself – he will order one last bottle of sake before heading home. He leaves the garden, returning to the bar, and places his order with a server. Sasuke takes his time with his drink, enjoying the smooth glide of the warmed liquor down his throat. He cannot remember the last time he has let himself be this relaxed.

He is halfway through when Sakura drops quietly into the seat beside him. "Hi," she says somewhat breathlessly. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are bright. Sasuke detects a whiff of something fruity and sweet on her breath. "May I?" she asks.

He gestures wordlessly to the extra cup beside his bottle of sake. "Thanks," Sakura quips. She pours herself a drink and knocks it back easily. There is little finesse in her actions. She finishes the drink with a satisfied sigh, wiping her lips with the back of her head. "Excellent choice of sake," she comments, resting her chin upon one dainty hand. "Can I have another?"

Sasuke nods, but is unable to stop himself from raising a brow at her actions. Sakura notices and lets out a little laugh. The familiarity of that sound – and how long it has been since he's last heard it – sends a surprising twinge of nostalgia whispering down his spine. "Sorry," she says brightly, not sounding sorry at all. "I'm a little buzzed."

That is a lie. Sasuke sees the lucidity in her eyes. He steels himself, because he knows that she must be up to something.

He is not disappointed. Sakura downs her second cup of sake just as rapidly. She has barely set the empty cup upon the counter when she turns to face him. He feels the weight of her green, green gaze settle over him. She seems to be looking for something. "Sasuke-kun," she says earnestly, seriously. "How have you been?"

He thinks of Naruto's grip on his arm as he struggles to adjust to the drugs they have pumped into him. He thinks of Tsunade's face, pinched and displeased, when she reviews his progress. He thinks of long dark nights in the hospital, covered in cold sweat, and he thinks of his brother's ghost, haunting the periphery of his consciousness. He thinks of what he could say, and then he thinks that he should say nothing to this girl who used to be his teammate but is now barely more than a stranger.

Sake loosens his lips, and the words escape him before he has a chance to take them back. "Not good," Sasuke replies lowly. His eyes are dark. He stares back at Sakura, daring her to say something. When she stays silent, he shakes his head and takes a careful sip of his drink.

"Getting better," he offers again after a pause. His words brim with honesty.

The smile that forms on Sakura's lips is soft and sad. "That's good," she murmurs. Her eyes run over his form. It is a clinician's appraising gaze. "You've lost a lot of muscle mass, Sasuke-kun."

He does not reply. He feels exhausted, all of a sudden, as though the admission had taken too much out of him. Sakura is right – the months trapped in the hospital have left him physically weaker than what he used to be. Sasuke's lip curls in contempt, but it is unavoidable. His wounds have taken a toll on his body, his chakra is sealed, and he is not allowed to train.

Sakura speaks again, unmindful of his silence. "I came to say goodbye, Sasuke-kun," she says.

That gets his attention. They are not close, but he glances at her anyway, an unspoken question in his gaze. Sakura shrugs. "I'm leaving on a mission to Suna," she explains. Her fingers toy with the empty sake cup before her. "I have been invited to help rebuild and restructure their hospitals."

Sasuke picks up the sake bottle and fills her cup. She jumps, as though she is surprised. Then she manages a tentative smile and nods her thanks.

Sasuke is not surprised by the news, to be honest. He has come to learn, since his return, that Haruno Sakura is highly regarded and extremely capable. That Suna would request for her expertise seems only natural. Sakura may not be able to defeat him in battle just yet, but her ability to heal is phenomenal – it is something he does not quite understand. Sasuke finds himself holding grudging respect for the slender young woman beside him. "How long?" he asks, out of politeness.

"Five months." Sakura hesitates. "Actually, it's an open-ended mission. But I think I can wrap it up in five months."

"You haven't told Naruto yet," he guesses. Naruto would have come yelling his head off to Sasuke if he had known.

Sakura shakes her head. She looks sad. "He's going to be really upset," she admits. "The missive arrived today. I'm leaving in three days."

Sasuke nods. "Have a good trip," he says stiffly, because he does not know what else to say. Sakura's impending departure holds little significance to him – he barely speaks to her, as it is. Still, his former teammate smiles in response, as though she appreciates his words. There is a long pause, and he thinks it is the end of the conversation.

Sakura surprises him. "I have been avoiding you," she confesses out of the blue.

Sasuke looks up, faintly bewildered. He already knows this, of course, but he has not expected her to bring it up. He stays silent, waiting.

Sakura ignores his lack of response with practiced ease – it has always been this way between them – and barges on. "I'm glad you're back in Konoha," she says. Her eyes are fixed on an invisible spot on the bar counter. He can see that she is steeling herself. "I _am_ glad you're back in Konoha," she repeats, sounding a little more convicted now. "But I don't know how to deal with you being back yet."

Sasuke says nothing. He does not know _what_ to say, to be honest.

"I hope that when I get back," Sakura continues softly. "I'll be a better friend to you."

He watches as she hops nimbly off the stool beside him. She turns towards him and offers him a small but real smile. "Take care, Sasuke-kun," she says at last. "Thank you for the drink."

Sakura hesitates. Then she touches him on the arm briefly – awkwardly – before she leaves.

* * *

(_bravery_)

Sakura sends him a postcard.

The postcard arrives on a Tuesday morning, slipped discreetly under his front door. He has had a rough night – Tsunade is weaning him off the pain medication – so Sasuke finds himself thrumming with frustration that day. He spends about fifteen minutes glaring hard at his front door, musing over the ramifications of running straight out that door and through the gates of Konoha before he notices a corner of the postcard peeking shyly from underneath the heavy wooden door.

The simmering annoyance bleeds away momentarily. Sasuke is surprised. He hasn't expected mail.

He pulls the card towards himself. It slides over easily, revealing a picture of rolling sand dunes and what looks like a tiny oasis in the background. Flipping it over, he recognizes Sakura's sloping cursive hand.

It has been nearly three months since Sakura left on her mission to Suna. She writes to Naruto nearly every week, and Naruto never fails to babble on about Sakura's updates whenever he gets a new letter. This is, however, the first time she's ever written to Sasuke.

_Dear Sasuke-kun,_ the postcard greets. _I hope this card finds you well!_

It is a short message, cheerful and sloppy and brave. Sakura tells him that she's been busy with work, and that there was a sandstorm earlier that week. He spots splotches of ink and a slight coffee stain at the bottom of the card – he imagines that she found a couple of minutes to scribble a message between meetings. The rest of her message is peppered with questions about his health and well-being. It ends with sincere well wishes and a promise to write again.

Sasuke stares pensively at the postcard he is holding. It is a little bizarre, he thinks, that Sakura is writing him a _postcard_. Then, out of the blue, he thinks of Sakura's words to him at the bar.

_I hope that when I get back, I'll be a better friend to you._

Sasuke re-reads the postcard. He fingers it carefully, and now he picks out the bravery and exhaustion that colors her words. He thinks of the courage she must have had to summon to write this message – to reach out to him again. She must know that he won't reply these letters.

Sasuke turns and heads back into his bedroom. There is a framed photo of Team 7 on his bedside table – Naruto was the one who had put it there. He had also kicked up a ridiculous fuss when Sasuke tried to remove it. Silently, Sasuke slips the postcard underneath the photo.

It is a little bizarre that Sakura is writing him a postcard, Sasuke thinks, but it is not entirely unwelcome.

The letters continue to come. They are not as regular or affectionate or long as the ones she sends to Naruto and Ino, but they nonetheless continue to appear. Sasuke grows to regard them with a mix of amusement, confusion and eagerness. It breaks the monotony of his days. He never replies, but he tucks each letter and postcard away under the photo of Team 7 in his bedroom.

Naruto is delighted. There is real pleasure in the blonde's face as he babbles on about how he knew Team 7 would come together in the end.

Sasuke ignores Naruto's inane chattering. He does not reply the letters.

* * *

(_a night without stars_)

Three months after the first postcard arrives, Sasuke wakes up in cold sweat. He allows a soft hiss to escape past his gritted teeth, even as he trembles from the sharp pains that stab into his side. His heart is pounding harder than his head – Tsunade has warned him that this would happen. What she has _not_ mentioned is how brightly and clearly Itachi's bloodied face would be etched in his mind, twisted in an expression of exquisite agony.

His heart clenches. Sasuke is annoyed, and tired, and sick to the bone. He thinks that he should be used to this by now.

Sasuke shoves the covers away and pushes himself up. It is still night, and a glance in the direction of the window alerts him to the inky blackness that currently shrouds Konoha. There are no stars tonight, he observes, and the thought sends his mood plummeting even further. How appropriate, he thinks darkly.

Sasuke longs, suddenly, for the night to end. He does not feel like dealing with the forceful tremors and heart palpitations that accompany his nightmares – he does not feel like thinking about _anything_ at all.

He just wants it all to stop.

His attention is diverted by a particularly strong stab of pain. His side aches, more so than usual after one of these episodes. Absently, Sasuke touches the healing wound.

This is a new injury. He's gained it only a few days ago, when they sent him out with a team of ANBU to assist in the destruction of abandoned enemy bases. Sasuke is almost embarrassed by the injury. While Konoha allowed him the use of his chakra for this mission (but not his Sharingan), and Naruto sparred daily with him to prepare for the mission, the lack of training had taken its toll on his body.

The mission was a success, of course, but there was an attack on the way back. Sasuke had been just a fraction of a second too slow in dodging a particularly sharp poisoned blade. It is a mistake that still festers when he thinks about the mission.

In the darkness, his fingers come away sticky and wet. Sasuke sighs. He reaches out and flicks the light switch on. White light floods the room. He blinks for a moment as his eyes adjust to the harsh lighting, focusing on the red that now coats his hand.

It seems like his wound has reopened.

Sasuke takes a moment to run his fingers over the swollen flesh on his side. There is a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, and he looks over stoically when a member of his ANBU guard appears noiselessly just outside the window. The guard hovers in the window respectfully, tilting his head in a silent question.

Sasuke shakes his head minutely. He doesn't need medical assistance. He can deal with this on his own. The guard hesitates. Then he gives a short nod and disappears as silently as he appeared. With a soft sigh, Sasuke leaves the bed and heads for the kitchen. He has a first-aid kit somewhere, he thinks. He can take care of himself.

An hour later, Sasuke begins to reconsider his decision. The blade that had cut him had been coated with a particularly nasty poison with anti-coagulating properties. By the time Sasuke had ended the fight, he was barely clinging on to consciousness. It had taken the team medic a long time to stabilise him for the return to Konoha. Sasuke does not actually recall returning to Konoha – he is told by Naruto that he had to be carried, dragged and cajoled along the way – but he does remember Tsunade's sharp and commanding voice piercing through the haze of blood loss and pain. Tsunade barked at him to pull himself together, and then she hollered at someone else to bring her more bags of blood.

When Sasuke woke up again, Tsunade was sweeping out of his room with a contemptuous sniff. "Glad to see you back in the land of the living, Uchiha," she snapped. "Now stay here while I go wash your blood off. And, whatever you do, _don't _reopen that wound, or you'll regret it."

Sasuke left the hospital just a day ago. He begins to understand Tsunade's warning – while blood isn't exactly gushing out onto his clean polished floors, his wound simply won't stop bleeding. Sasuke sits on his bed, applying pressure against his side. It is just a little trickle of blood, but it is certainly beginning to annoy the hell out of him.

Languidly, Sasuke turns his attention to the view outside his bedroom window. Darkness is receding at last, he notes with something like relief. He observes the dull grey skies lightening as a new day slowly begins. Thick clouds hang low in the horizon, obscuring the sun. Outside, a fine glitter of frost covers the ground.

Sasuke's focus is drawn, almost instantly, to little buds and shoots peeking out from the ground in the weak morning light. He lets his eyes drift shut for a moment, mindful of the blood still oozing from his side.

Spring is here, he thinks.

There is a tickle of a warm, strong chakra against his senses. Sasuke's eyes open at once, surprised. Two seconds later, Sakura knocks politely against the glass of his bedroom window.

Sasuke blinks.

He gestures his consent after a moment of consideration, and then Sakura is slipping into his room. Cold, crisp air follows her in. She lands quietly as she hops down, before she busies herself shutting the windows. Then she turns around and offers him a tentative smile.

"Hi," says Sakura, a little breathlessly.

In the pale morning light, her eyes glow a soft, soothing green. Her hair is a little longer now, tucked messily behind her ears, and her skin is lightly tanned. There is color in her cheeks from the cold. "I was on my way back from the Hokage's tower when a little bird told me that you were having a little trouble with your side," she says casually. She holds herself carefully, as though she is not quite sure if she should be here in his room. "May I?" she asks.

Sasuke hesitates. He watches Sakura with dark, unfathomable eyes. The room is too small, and Sakura is too close. He isn't prepared for this at all. Yet his wound is still bleeding, and he is tired of applying pressure to his side.

After a moment of consideration, Sasuke draws his hand aside silently to let her examine the reopened wound.

Sakura smiles somewhat formally, crossing the room with steady, confident strides. Green healing chakra flickers to life around her right hand. She presses it close, and Sasuke feels the sides of his torn flesh knit together slowly. The oozing of blood slows after a moment. Eventually it stops altogether.

Sakura eyes the wound with clinical interest as the healing chakra dissipates. "Looks like you've been busy, Sasuke-kun," she says lightly. "Not many people survive that poison."

Absently, she runs her fingers softly over his side. Sasuke wills himself not to shudder. "When did you get back?" he asks. His voice is rough from disuse.

"Last night," Sakura replies. Satisfied with her healing, she lets her hand drop to her side. "Tough mission?"

"Ambush," Sasuke says carelessly. "I accomplished my goal."

She shakes her head. "You were lucky. There'll be a scar, though."

Sasuke shrugs. It does not bother him; he has plenty of scars from past battles. "You didn't extend your stay," he states. Naruto had come in wailing some time back, complaining that Sakura was thinking about staying on in Suna for another few months. Sakura herself mentions it in a letter that arrived a few days later – she'd wanted to set up some apprenticeship and training program for field medics.

"No, I didn't. I-" Sakura pauses in the midst of her reply. She looks surprised, as though she hasn't expected him to know or remember. Then, a small smile appears on her lips. "I finished ahead of schedule. I might go back in a year's time to help review processes."

"Naruto will be happy," he answers.

Sakura's smile blooms at his words. Warmth lights up her entire face and Sasuke notices, to his discomfort, that her eyes are very bright and very green. "I was going to surprise him," she admits, breaking out into a soft laugh. She shrugs. "Well, I'll see you around, Sasuke-kun," Sakura intones cheerfully. "I'm off to the market. Please try not to re-open that wound."

She heads towards the windows. As she turns to wave goodbye, she freezes in place. It takes Sasuke a moment to realize that her eyes are fixed on the little pile of postcards that he keeps carefully under that framed photo of Team 7.

"You got my letters," Sakura says faintly. She seems like she can't quite believe what she's seeing. "You – I didn't know if you received them."

"Aa," says Sasuke. "I did."

He wonders if he should thank her for taking the time to write to him, as it would have only been polite, but before he can say anything, Sakura beams fondly at him. Something within him – something he hadn't even been aware of – relaxes at the sight of her knowing smile. It is like coming home at the end of a long day.

Sakura bids him goodbye and slips out the window, leaving only the faint scent of apples behind.

* * *

A/N: HI. So… this is my first attempt at sasusaku! I started experimenting with this sometime back in June, and as SSM came around I decided to weave some of the prompts in. It's been a long, _long _time since I've written any fiction, so feedback is much appreciated :)


	2. Chapter 2

**The Long Road Home**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

A few days after Sakura's return to Konoha, she receives her next long-term assignment.

Sakura is on the third floor of the hospital, brewing herself a nice strong cup of tea in the pantry, when Tsunade sends for her. She nearly – just _nearly_ – groans, because it is the first break she's had all day.

But Sakura has far better self-control than that, so she settles for a more dignified huffed sigh instead. She waves the messenger away, promising to go over as soon as possible. Then she takes her time, sipping her tea. She manages to finish nearly half the mug before she has to dump the rest down the sink.

She leaves the hospital soon after, mindful of the time.

Tsunade is uncharacteristically sober when Sakura knocks. The older woman waves her in distractedly, signing away furiously on what looks like a very thick and important pile of mission assignments. Without even pausing in her work, Tsunade grabs a scroll off the side of her table and tosses it carelessly at her apprentice. Sakura plucks it out of the air without thinking.

"Your next assignment," Tsunade explains shortly. She sighs. "Sorry, Sakura, I know you just got back from Suna."

Sakura shrugs. She unravels the scroll and scans its contents quickly. Her eyes widen.

"Shishou," Sakura begins slowly. "I'm not sure I'm the right person for the job."

Her mentor pauses and looks up at her with a mix of sympathy and steel. "You are the most suitable candidate, Sakura," she says. "There is no one else I'd trust with this. And your past history-"

"That's just it," Sakura interrupts. Dread coils in the pit of her stomach. "There's too much history between us. Shishou, Sasuke's not going to agree to it." The thought of Uchiha Sasuke willingly submitting to intrusive mental assessments and eye tests administered by _her_ almost makes her chuckle.

She shakes her head and says it again, more resolutely: "Sasuke won't accept me as his physician."

"Actually," Tsunade begins thoughtfully. "He's been surprisingly good about the eye tests over the last couple of months." She cracks a small smile at Sakura's disbelieving expression. "He's a lot more stubborn about having his head checked," Tsunade cautions. "I've kept him on anti-depressants and sleeping pills, but he can't stay on them forever." She fixes her apprentice with a deliberate, appraising look.

"Uchiha is not in a good place at the moment, Sakura," Tsunade breaks the silence carefully, after a moment of consideration. "It would be best if he found a way to re-establish his emotional connections to Konoha."

Sakura's heart lurches painfully. She understands what Tsunade is saying – Sasuke is a potential threat to Konoha if left unchecked. Her heart clenches against her control. Poor Sasuke. She wonders how unstable Sasuke has really become in the months since she's left. He _did_ look exhausted during the time she dropped in on him when she had first returned from Suna, but she had assumed it was from a lack of sleep. Perhaps there is more than meets the eye, if Tsunade's warning rang true.

"All right, Shishou," Sakura sighs. "It's not really my area of expertise but I'll try."

Tsunade smirks. "You know, you didn't have a choice," she chuckles. Then she turns serious. "You can pick up his files from Shizune on the way out and look at where I've left off. I want an update every two weeks until you think it's appropriate to relax his risk grading." She pauses, looking deep in thought. After a moment, she shakes her head. "Let's talk again after you've made an initial evaluation," declares Tsunade. "Any questions?"

Sakura shakes her head. The mission scroll is detailed enough to give her an idea of where to start. "I'll do my best," she promises, and is promptly rewarded with a pleased smile from her mentor.

"Oh, and Sakura, here's something else for you," says Tsunade. A second scroll comes sailing through the air. Sakura catches it easily. ''A-rank in three weeks," the blond older woman explains. "Honey trap."

The impossible task of overseeing Uchiha Sasuke's medical treatment _and _a honey trap mission? What a shitty start to the week. Sakura tries to school the look of dismay that is blooming across her face, but Tsunade catches sight of it before she can really do so.

"Relax," Tsunade snorts. "You're not the main this time, but I need an experienced back-up and a medic on the team." She gives Sakura another appraising look. "You can do both jobs."

Sakura sighs but tries her best to accept the assignment with good grace. "Do I at least get paid at twice the rate?" she jokes cheekily.

Tsunade snorts and gestures towards the scroll that Sakura is currently holding. She scans the document quickly and lets out a soft grunt of surprise at the promised compensation stated at the bottom of the page. So it _is_ paying quite a bit more than the usual A-rank.

Well, she does have a rent installment coming up at the end of next month…

Sakura nods and tucks both scrolls away. "Done," she laughs.

Tsunade rolls her eyes and waves her off dismissively. "Now, get back to my hospital," she drawls, her eyes twinkling. "And fetch me some sake before you leave – that damn Shizune's confiscated my stash again."

* * *

The first thing Sakura does, after looking through Sasuke's rather intimidating and heavy medical file, is to drop by the Yamanaka flower shop.

Ino rarely helps out at the shop anymore – her duties as a medic and interrogator take up far too much time. But Sakura knows that on her days off, she likes to spend time with her mother in the shop and pretend that she's a civilian selling flowers for a living.

So Sakura leaves the hospital earlier than usual one afternoon and makes her way to the Yamanaka flower shop.

Ino greets her with a smile and plenty of sass, as usual. Sakura grins as she approaches her friend. Ino has always been attractive, but puberty has turned her into something closer to drop-dead _gorgeous_. Talking to Ino is an exercise in self-restraint – it's hard not to get lost in the glossiness of Ino's silky blond hair, the bright piercing blue of her eyes, or the gentle sweep of her thick lashes against her cheeks.

A younger Sakura might have felt intimidated and jealous, but the Sakura of today is more confident and less silly. She is only grateful for the enduring friendship that Ino offers.

"Pig!" Sakura chimes happily. "I got you something from Suna."

Ino squeals, ever a sucker for gifts. "Thanks, forehead!" she marvels, admiring the delicate handcrafted hair comb and sniffing at the vial of heady jasmine perfume oil that Sakura has brought along. She puts them away behind the counter and emerges with a smile.

"Let's go grab something to eat," Ino declares, pulling her friend with her. "Mum can handle the shop by herself and I haven't had lunch yet."

Sakura says hi to Ino's mother and gives her a box of spices from Suna before they leave. As they step out into the sunshine, she impulsively links arms with Ino, the way they used to do when they were very young. Ino raises a brow at her but smiles and yanks her close anyway.

They chat happily, catching up on life over the past few months.

Eventually they wander into a confectionery shop. They ask to be seated in one of the booths at the back for a little more privacy. Sakura orders herself a plate of anko dango, to be washed down with hot tea, while Ino decides on strawberry daifuku.

They talk rapidly and unreservedly, in the way old friends do, and it is nearly an hour later before Sakura suddenly recalls the reason she has for looking Ino up.

"Hey Ino-pig," Sakura says, leaning forward. Her eyes turn serious and her voice drops to a low murmur. "What was it like when you interrogated Sasuke-kun?"

Ino raises one perfectly-shaped eyebrow at her. "Nosy, aren't we?" her best friend drawls jokingly. "You know I can't talk about work."

Sakura waves her hand dismissively. "I don't want to know the interrogation details," she says. Her voice drops even lower, and Ino is forced to lean forward to hear her next words. "Shishou asked me to take over as his physician. She's a bit worried about his mental health," Sakura explains. ""I want to know how his mind is doing."

Ino rests her chin on one hand thoughtfully. "Oh," she hums, closing her eyes for a brief moment. When she opens them again, she does not smile.

"Well, if you want to know the truth," Ino says quietly. "It's not in a good state."

There is a long lull in the conversation as Ino chews contemplatively on her lower lip. Sakura understands that Ino is trying her best to explain the state of Sasuke's mind in a way laymen can understand. "There is a lot of stress," her friend answers at last. "There are cracks in his psyche – old ones, newer ones – that haven't healed over. His mind is – it's _fragile_, Sakura. I could feel the rips when I was inside his head."

Ino trails off then, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

After a moment, Ino looks up at Sakura. Her lips twist into a brittle half-smile. For a moment, her face is rendered breathtakingly beautiful by the sorrow that flits across her face. "I don't think he's in a good place right now," she sighs at last. She seems older than she really is. "He was barely holding it together when we did the interrogation."

Sakura says nothing. There is a lump in her throat as she accepts Ino's words.

It is strange, she thinks, to sit here with Ino and discussing their childhood crush in hushed, solemn tones. Years ago, Ino would have been cooing over Sasuke and his good looks. Sakura would have blushed and giggled along.

But things are different now.

Now, they speak of Sasuke with a mix of apprehension and concern and dispassionate intensity. Sakura feels old and more than a little lost. She is not too sure what she had been expecting Ino to say about Sasuke, but she hasn't expected this dismal report.

She trusts Ino's judgment, however. Ino understands the human mind. It is what makes the Yamanaka clan so powerful.

"Are you two talking?" Ino breaks the silence delicately. Her voice is still soft.

Sakura gives a helpless little shrug. There are a few people in Konoha who have picked up on her well-hidden unease at Sasuke's return, and Ino is one of them. She is, however, the only one brash enough to actually confront Sakura about it. Even Naruto has avoided the topic, although Sakura suspects he won't leave it alone for too long. She may as well enjoy the peace while it lasts.

"I wrote to him," Sakura answers guardedly at last. "I've met him once since getting back."

Ino peers at her seriously. She looks like she is on the verge of saying something.

To avoid an unwanted conversation, Sakura busies herself by sipping from her cup of tea. She quickly thinks of a topic that will surely distract Ino.

"So," Sakura begins. Her eyes glitter as she sets her tea aside. "How is Shikamaru?"

* * *

_(indestructible)_

The sun is just dipping gently beyond the horizon when Naruto zips through the streets of Konoha at breakneck speed.

An excited grin stretches itself over Naruto's face as he contemplates the pleasant evening ahead.

It's been a good day, he thinks happily. He spent the morning helping Konohamaru out with endurance training, and then he put in a couple of hours doing brickwork down at the Academy. He's even bumped into Hinata-chan a few hours ago, who shyly offered him some handmade sweets and was nice enough to take a long relaxing walk with him.

The thought of Hinata's shy parting smile and soft eyes sends a strong surge of warmth coursing through him. A faint blush dusts Naruto's cheeks. He mentally tucks the memory away before focusing on the road ahead.

Now where was he? Ah, right. So he's off to good old Ichiraku for the first Super Awesome Team 7 Bonding Ramen Dinner since Sakura-chan got back. Naruto feels contentment washing over him again.

Yes, it really is a good day.

Naruto is halfway there when a thought occurs to him. He frowns and grinds to a halt. Rapidly, he begins to run back in the direction he has come from. He stops only when he comes upon the small side road that leads towards the Uchiha estate.

Naruto stares at the road for a moment. The path curves around a thick pocket of trees; it is not possible to see the Uchiha estate from where he is standing. He wonders if Sasuke has left. He _did_ tell Sasuke to be on time, but Sasuke has never been particularly receptive to the idea of attending any social engagements.

He sighs inwardly. The problem here is that Sasuke actually really _needs_ some company.

Ever since Sasuke returned to Konoha, he has become increasingly distant. There is a growing restlessness that festers and gnaws at him just beneath the surface, which he tries hard not to show. But Naruto's eyes are brighter than Sasuke thinks. There are days when Sasuke seems like he could just crack any moment.

It is beginning to bother even Naruto.

It is one of the reasons why Naruto is so glad to see Sakura back in Konoha. Sakura and Sasuke may not be the best of friends anymore (okay, so Naruto knows that is a bit of an understatement, considering they've barely talked since Sasuke's return to Konoha). But Sakura will help, Naruto thinks.

Sakura's presence, Naruto considers with a quiet sort of conviction, will help to stabilize Sasuke. And, despite whatever she may claim, Sakura will never give up on Sasuke.

Sakura will not give up on Sasuke, because she does not know _how_ to give up on him.

She has tried, Naruto knows. Sakura's faith does not burn quite as unwaveringly and fiercely as his own. He does not blame her. After all, Naruto did not have to see Sasuke leave before his eyes.

Over the years, Sakura has struggled to harden her heart. She has struggled to severe her bonds and she has struggled to strengthen her mind. His teammate has always been sensible like that.

Yet, at the end of the day, Sakura has never managed to break off that incredible, indestructible bond with Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto is unsurprised. Sasuke is that wayward reckless thread that runs through and tangles up haphazardly within the fabric of their lives. It is too late now; they certainly have no way of extricating him. What lies between them now cannot be destroyed. Despite all of Sakura's efforts, Sasuke remains persistently, frighteningly, _annoyingly_ present in her heart. She could not kill him, she could not abandon him, and she most certainly cannot give up on him now.

Naruto knows this, because he feels exactly the same way. Naruto does not give up on Sasuke, because he does not know _how_ to give up on him either.

It is this thought that sends Naruto on a comfortable jog down the path towards Sasuke's residence. As the path curves and straightens again, he spots a familiar house just ahead. The lights are on, he notes. Sasuke must still be home.

Sasuke does not live in the main house anymore. He cannot, because the nightmares would destroy him.

Naruto doesn't blame him. The Uchiha estate is silent and lifeless. A clan cemetery of fifty-four graves sits solemnly at the far end of the sprawling Uchiha grounds. Sasuke has spent a good part of his childhood crouched before those graves, alone and heartbroken and terrified.

Naruto offered to have his best buddy move in with him – it would be an awesome bachelor's pad! – but Sasuke doesn't seem keen on sharing that cramped, messy and occasionally foul-smelling apartment he proudly calls home. He also seems, for reasons Naruto cannot fully comprehend, reluctant to be located too far away from what is left of the Uchiha legacy.

So, sometime after his return, Tsunade tasked a few professional builders (and several teams of energetic genin) to construct a small, single-storey dwelling just on the edge of the Uchiha compound. It is a compromise of sorts, and it is there where Sasuke now resides.

Naruto approaches the house with all the stealth and finesse of a puppy being gifted with a new toy. He raises a hand in greeting at the ANBU he can sense situated around the house, but doesn't stop to chat. Instead, he makes a beeline for the front door.

"Hey teme!" he roars with excitement as he barges right through. "Are you ready for ramen?!"

Silence greets him. Naruto frowns. He can sense Sasuke's muted presence in the house, so he concludes that his friend must be in either his bedroom or the bathroom. He strolls down the corridor towards Sasuke's room, pausing by the kitchen to snag himself a plum.

He's barely bitten into the plum when Sasuke emerges, shirtless and disheveled.

"Yo," Naruto greets, still focused on his snack. "You done getting ready yet?"

Sasuke doesn't answer him. He brushes past Naruto to head into the kitchen. Naruto finally looks up, startled by the tension that stiffens Sasuke's frame.

Sasuke continues to ignore him. He stops by the sink, where he pours himself a glass of water and tosses it back rapidly. Then he turns to face Naruto. In the fading daylight, he looks terrible. Shadows hang beneath his eyes, and his torso is wrapped tightly with bandages.

"Hey man," Naruto begins cautiously. "You okay?"

Sasuke grunts and pours himself another glass of water. He grimaces, and Naruto eyes the faint sheen of perspiration that covers his face.

Realization hits him. "You're in pain," he says aloud.

Sasuke scowls, clearly unappreciative of Naruto's ability to state the obvious. He takes another drink, and suddenly Naruto sees the dark bruise that colors the side of his jaw. In the dimness of the room, the injuries are nearly hidden. Squinting, Naruto can just about make out faint scratch marks around the bruise and on Sasuke's neck. The sight sends his mood plummeting at once.

The bruise and scratches were not present when he dropped by two days ago. They look worse than they really are, he knows, but he is upset anyway. He knows enough about acts of violence to recognize strangulation marks when he sees them.

Naruto's eyes narrow. "Damn it, Sasuke," he mutters, honest anger creeping into his voice. He is serious now. "What the hell happened to-"

"You should leave," Sasuke interrupts. His eyes are hard and flinty. "I'm not going."

Naruto opens his mouth to argue, but thinks better of it. The anger drains out of him slowly. Whatever happened must have been bad. Sasuke is in one of his moods again.

He sighs. "Come on," he tries to persuade. "Everyone else is gonna be there. Sakura-chan just got back, and she'd want to see you."

Sasuke stalks out of the kitchen. "I've already seen her," he says bluntly, brushing past Naruto.

The blonde blinks, surprised. That's news to him. Before he can say anything else, however, Sasuke enters his room and shuts it with a resolute click.

A loud slam of the front door a moment later alerts Sasuke to the fact that Naruto has left the house.

Sasuke slumps down on his bed, closing his eyes in relief. He appreciates Naruto's efforts – he really _does_, despite how he reacts – but there are times when the weight of Naruto's undivided attention and concern just gets too much for one person to bear. He feels like he is being smothered by Naruto's care.

Today is one of those days. Naruto will understand, Sasuke thinks decisively. He always does.

Yet, as daylight fades and silence descends upon the house once more, an odd sense of dismay begins to take root. The house is too quiet, Sasuke thinks, and his thoughts are too loud.

Minutes tick by. Sasuke does not know how long he has been lying there on the bed and, frankly, he does not care. He lies unmoving in the darkness, keeping his eyes shut. He resigns himself to an early night in, and hopes that he can actually get some sleep tonight.

* * *

Dusk has just settled over Konoha when Sasuke's eyes open in confusion.

From a distance away, he can sense several familiar chakra signatures approaching his house. They brush up against his senses, tickling and whispering. Naruto's one is the most obvious – it burns bright and glorious like the sun. Sai's one is muted, following placidly behind Naruto. Then there is Sakura – soft and strong, warm and yielding.

Sasuke barely has a moment to wonder what they are doing when he hears the front door being thrown open.

"_Teme_!" yells Naruto. "Hey, I'm back!"

Sasuke sits up just as Naruto bursts through his bedroom door. Bright light from the hallway pours into his darkened bedroom, and he squints as his sensitive eyes try to adjust. Naruto never pauses in his advance towards Sasuke. In one swift motion, he's grabbed his friend's arm and yanked him off the bed.

Sai's head pokes in through the door. "Hello, traitor," he greets tonelessly. Sasuke nearly growls as Naruto continues to pull him out of the room. "Dickless said you were unwell."

Sakura appears a moment later. She is holding several bags, and Sasuke notes with some bewilderment that they are filled with containers of what appears to be delicious-smelling food. With a start, he realizes that he hasn't eaten anything since breakfast, and that he is in fact _starving_.

"We brought dinner," Sakura says cheerfully. If she notices the gauntness of his face or the shadows beneath his eyes, she makes no move to point them out.

In the ensuing bustle and noise ("You should feel lucky, teme! We didn't know what you wanted so we bought every single type of ramen they had available!"), Sasuke allows himself to be led to the kitchen. Naruto all but shoves him into a chair while Sai politely sets the table. Sakura busies herself laying out the food they have brought with them. Sasuke sits there, still shirtless and disheveled as he watches them with a mix of incredulity and annoyance.

Sakura is standing in front of him before he can form a coherent rebuff. "Here you go, Sasuke-kun," she says. She ignores his clenched jaw in favor of offering him a small smile and a bowl of tonkotsu ramen.

There aren't enough chairs in his kitchen – he has never planned to have visitors, after all – so Naruto gallantly offers Sakura a chair and perches himself atop the kitchen counter. "Eat up, Sasuke-teme!" his best friend urges, as though Sasuke has not kicked him out just an hour ago.

Sasuke is _still_ staring at his three visitors when a fourth one makes his presence known. Kakashi appears out of the blue, tapping politely on the glass pane of the kitchen window.

Sakura lets out a huff and gets to her feet, letting their mentor into the house. "Kakashi-sensei!" she berates. "You took forever to get here!"

"Ah, well, I was held up along the way," Kakashi chuckles sheepishly. His eye crinkles in amusement as he waves aside Naruto's glare and Sakura's scolding. Instead, he weaves through the small kitchen gracefully, stopping at the table where Sasuke is still seated.

"Here you go," says Kakashi. He places a small bag on the table. He looks down at his former student, and his voice is uncharacteristically kind. "Onigiri with tomatoes."

Sasuke says nothing, but he cannot quite stop his eyes from widening slightly.

Quiet descends upon the room for a brief moment. Sasuke stares silently at Kakashi's offering. He raises his gaze. This time he looks – he _really_ looks – at Kakashi and Naruto and Sakura and Sai, all squeezed into his lonely kitchen.

Then Sakura steps forward. "Kakashi-sensei," she says, holding out a bowl of ramen. There is an odd smile on her lips. Carefully, she does not look at Sasuke. "We saved you some food."

Sasuke says nothing. He finishes his ramen, letting the boisterous conversation of his teammates pick up around him. The happy chatter washes over him in gentle, soothing waves. Naruto tells a dirty joke. Sakura smacks him. Sai unwittingly insults both Sakura and Naruto, and Kakashi steps in to break up the ensuing fight before they can cause too much damage.

For a moment, Sasuke feels like he can be strong again.

As he reaches silently for a rice ball, Sasuke finally becomes aware of a deep, unfamiliar warmth that is slowly unfurling in his chest.

It is gratitude, he realizes.

* * *

_(monster)_

Soon, Sakura is the only one left.

She busies herself at the kitchen sink, humming under her breath as she puts dishes away. Sasuke watches her from where he is seated at the table. He will never admit it, but he feels uneasy having her in such close proximity. The kitchen is too small, and Sakura is too unfamiliar.

If the stiff set of her shoulders were any indication, Sakura feels the same way.

He is not sure why she has not already left. Naruto, Sai and Kakashi took off a while ago, but Sakura insisted on packing up the leftovers and cleaning the kitchen. Naruto, surprisingly, did not make a fuss. He claps Sasuke on the shoulder with a grin and promises to visit soon.

Sakura deposits the dirty dishes in the sink once the others have left. She gently, politely refuses his offer of help.

"Sit down, Sasuke-kun," she says, moving around his kitchen with bewildering familiarity. "You're unwell."

So Sasuke sits, watching her with a quiet sort of intensity. If Sakura is unnerved by the attention, she does not call him out on it.

Eventually she wipes her hands on a tea towel and turns to face her old teammate. "You can have those for lunch tomorrow," she says distractedly, pointing towards the leftover onigiri that she has placed neatly on a plate.

Sasuke nods. The little crease in her brow tells him that she has something else to say to him, so he waits for her next words.

Sakura does not disappoint.

"Let me look at your injury, Sasuke-kun," she says at last. It is an order, confident and clear in a way that Sasuke has never quite expected. He understands her reason for staying behind now. The sharpness of her voice surprises him – he finds himself obediently angling his body to reveal the wound on his side.

It occurs to him, just as Sakura steps into his personal space, that he ought to put up some resistance.

Sakura unwraps the bandages with a professional ease that belies her many years of experience. As she pulls the last of the bandages away from his skin, Sasuke tries to hold back a grimace. The wound is swollen and and raw and angry. The bandage clings to where the pus has leaked.

Sakura frowns. She pulls up a chair and seats herself, still staring hard at his injury. "There's a bit of an infection setting in," she states. Healing chakra flares to life around her palm as she brings it towards his side. "How often do you change your bandages?"

Sasuke doesn't answer. His former teammate looks mildly exasperated, but in all honesty she has not expected a reply.

It has been a long day, and Sasuke cannot quite hold back the soft exhale of relief when Sakura's cool chakra soothes over the festering wound. They sit in silence. Sakura does not look at him as she slowly draws the infection from his flesh.

When Sakura is finished, she turns an unreadable gaze towards him. "Your fever should fade soon," she murmurs. She remains frozen in an awkward sort of half-bend towards him, her cool fingers skimming against his bare flesh.

Abruptly, Sakura straightens. Before Sasuke can react, her palm has come up to hover timidly at his jaw. Coolness spreads from her palm. He knows, without looking, that she is healing the fading bruises and scratches that mar his skin.

There is something incredibly intimate about this position; she is almost cradling his face.

Sasuke cannot bring himself to look at Sakura in the eye. He focuses on the overlooked details instead: the pale pink wisps of hair falling across her eyes, the smooth soft curve of her cheek, the troubled crease in her brow.

Sakura keeps her gaze on the pale bruises fading under her hand. She can barely keep her lips from twisting bitterly at the irony of the situation. Once upon a time, she was forced to heal similar bruises on her own neck, caused by the very same dark-eyed man whose skin she was now thumbing softly.

She remembers crying then, thinking that Sasuke was gone forever – that he had finally lost himself to his inner demons.

It is with slight difficulty that Sakura pulls herself away from her own memories. When she breaks the silence at last, her voice is heavy with disbelief. "ANBU says you let a villager attack you," Sakura breathes hesitantly.

His silence – and the faint tightening of his jaw – is confirmation of the truth.

Sakura draws back then, almost horrified with incredulity, but her hand remains at his jaw. "Why would you do that, Sasuke-kun?" she asks, stunned. She is looking at him now. "That's insane."

He thinks of the aged woman who had attacked him. She had appeared before him in the marketplace yesterday. She was old and possibly half-blind, but she had carried herself with all the pride and vehemence of a wronged kunoichi.

"You _monster_!" she had shrieked. "You fucking bastard!"

That had been all the warning Sasuke had received before she had leaped towards him, spit flying from her mouth. He had stopped in his tracks, watching her approach with uncanny speed. He had imagined his ANBU guards hovering uncertainly in the trees around the marketplace, wondering if they should step in.

There had been just enough time for him to breathe a slow imperceptible sigh, before the old woman had launched herself at his tense form. Her surprisingly sharp nails dug into his flesh. There had been no finesse or skill in her grip – there was only rage and violence and raw killing intent.

"Traitor! I'll kill you!" she had screamed into his face. "My _son_ died in that war, you demon! I'll fucking _kill_ you!"

That had been all she managed to say before his guards had appeared by his side and pulled her off. Sasuke had felt his lungs expand once more with air. The old woman had screeched with frustration then. Her eyes had not left his – they had burned with a crazed fury that spoke of unfathomable agony.

"My son!" she had screamed. "_My son is dead!_"

She had spat at him in a last act of hatred. Sasuke had made no move to dodge as a gloop of saliva landed on his sleeve.

Trapped by the unyielding arms of an ANBU guard, the old woman had finally dissolved into loud sobbing wails. Sasuke had stood stiffly in the same spot. He had watched in troubled silence as grief poured down her hunched, broken form in waves.

Sasuke swallows now. The memory leaves him feeling strangely hollow. Sasuke knows that he is not trusted. Despite all his contributions towards ending the war and saving the lives of thousands, he knows that his presence in Konoha continues to be resented and feared by many. He averts his eyes from Sakura's searching, curious gaze.

The silence between them stretches one beat too many, and before he is aware of it, Sakura is pulling away from him. He starts, feeling the coolness of her chakra fade as her fingers slip from his jaw.

Sakura senses that she will not be getting any answers from Sasuke tonight. She gives him a sad sort of half-smile before she turns away. Then she leaves him in the kitchen as she retrieves the first aid box.

Sasuke sits stiffly. He does not get up from his seat.

A minute later, Sakura returns, holding fresh bandages. She instructs him to sit up straight and raise his arms before she drops to her knees before him. She ducks awkwardly under his left arm, and begins to wrap the bandages around his torso.

She is halfway done when Sasuke speaks. "I did not kill him," he says, guessing that Sakura has already heard the details from his ANBU guards. "The woman's son," he clarifies, a moment later. Faint surprise colors his expression, as though he has not quite expected the words to leave his lips.

Sakura's actions falter for a split second. She has not expected Sasuke to actually speak, either. She quickly schools her face into neutrality and continues with her task. "I see," she replies. "Did you know him?"

Sasuke gives a short terse shake of his head. "I don't think so," he answers quietly. In her grief, the old woman had wailed details of her son's passing. "I was not near Konoha when he died."

Sakura ties the ends of the bandage well and tucks the ends in. She folds her hands in her lap and looks down for a moment, balancing on the balls of her feet. It is a rare moment of honesty from Sasuke. She takes the time to breathe a long sad sigh for the hardship her people have suffered. When she finally looks up at Sasuke, her breath catches painfully at the dull look of vulnerability that has etched itself across his beautiful, hard features.

He has not answered her first question, she realizes distantly. He has not explained why he let an old woman hit him.

As Sakura takes in the blankness of his dark gaze, she begins to suspect that Sasuke simply does not care.

She straightens. Something in building within her – something that colors her movements with purpose and a growing desire to help. "It's late, Sasuke-kun," she says softly. "I'll leave now to let you rest, but you need to come down to the hospital at 11 this Tuesday morning for your next physical."

Sasuke's dark eyes are still trained on her when she moves to leave. He inclines his head just a fraction to indicate his acknowledgment.

Sakura pauses on her way out of the kitchen. She thinks about whether she ought to tell him about Tsunade's orders, and decides that she may as well get it over and done with. She does not want Sasuke to throw a hissy fit in the hospital when he finds that _she_ is now his doctor.

Her lip curls in a mix of amusement and dread at that particular mental image.

"Tsunade-sama has asked me to take over as your physician from this week onward," Sakura says, looking over her shoulder. She ignores Sasuke's raised brow. "Konoha would like your involvement on more missions over the next few months, so she has asked me to make sure that you are physically prepared."

She gives his healing wound a quick glance, and the small frown on Sasuke's face grows more pronounced. Sakura hesitates, before continuing, "Shishou also wants me to assess your mental recovery."

Silence falls over them. For a moment, Sakura thinks that Sasuke is going to agree. She can tell, however, from the deep frown on his face that he is _not_ happy about this. He confirms it a second later.

"I'm not comfortable with this arrangement," Sasuke says bluntly.

Sakura suppresses a sigh. She meets his eyes unflinchingly. "Yes, we are aware," she says agreeably. "Unfortunately, these are the Hokage's orders." She gives him one last smile, polite and distant. "Goodnight, Sasuke-kun," she says. "See you at 11 a.m. on Tuesday."

Then she is gone, and Sasuke is alone once more.

* * *

Tuesday morning arrives, bringing with it overcast skies and strong winds. Lightning flashes, bright and fierce, in the distance. The promise of rain hangs heavily in the air - a summer storm is brewing.

Sasuke is in the kitchen, having a solitary breakfast of rice and soup, when a polite knock sounds on his front door. He frowns, finding the faint chakra unfamiliar. When he opens the door, there is a young boy fidgeting at his porch. He cannot be more than fourteen, and he looks utterly terrified.

"Good morning, Uchiha-sama!" the boy squeaks, dropping into a hasty low bow.

A clap of thunder sounds just then, and the kid jumps in shock. He struggles to recover, flushing a deep red in embarrassment. Sasuke can barely conceal a snort.

"H-Haruno-senpai would like to remind you that you have an appointment this morning," the boy stutters. He is still unable to meet Sasuke's eyes, so he settles for staring fearfully somewhere at a spot between his shoulders and midriff. "She asks that you be on time."

Sasuke stares blankly at the kid. There is a medic's badge tied around his arm, and his messy brown hair falls into his clear hazel eyes. He looks terribly, painfully young.

"Aa," Sasuke answers at last. "Thank you."

The boy bows again, and Sasuke shuts the door.

* * *

It is past noon on Tuesday.

Sakura stands in her office, staring out of the window.

She raises a hand and traces the path taken by a particular fat droplet of moisture rolling down the glass pane. Outside, the sky is dark with turbulent clouds while rain lashes down fiercely upon Konoha. Fierce winds bluster against the hospital building.

It has been twenty minutes since the storm started. As expected, Sasuke did not show up.

Sakura sighs and slips her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. She turns away from the window.

* * *

A/N: Just... **wow**, thanks for all the encouragement, guys! I wasn't expecting this level of support, so I really appreciate it! Randomly, looking at the traffic stats for this story is fascinating - it's kind of cool seeing how this is getting hits from all over the world, from the US to Serbia and Montenegro to Mongolia to practically every country in Southeast Asia. Special shoutout to UK readers! I just spent the last four years there and I miss it terribly xxx

Anyhoo I've just finished a job posting and am starting a postgraduate course this week, so do bear with me if the next update takes a while! Reviews definitely help ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**The Long Road Home**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Several days of blissful, quiet isolation pass before Naruto invades Sasuke's house.

"Come you, you lazy bastard," his loud best friend calls impatiently. He shifts impatiently from one foot to the other and peers, crestfallen, at the empty state of Sasuke's refrigerator. "Let's get some food. Geez, man, are you even eating?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes inwardly, knowing that Naruto's own fridge must be in a similar state. At least Sasuke is hygienic enough to throw out food that has already expired. He cannot say the same about Naruto.

At Naruto's continued urging, Sasuke finally sighs and complies. He picks himself off the couch and shuts the book he was reading, placing it back onto the bookshelf in the corner of his room. It is a thick volume on advanced fire-based jutsu – one of many books that Tsunade and some of the Rookie 9 have thoughtfully gifted to him when the house was built.

He is grateful for the books, because it keeps his mind occupied.

Once a week, Sasuke is allowed to leave his house under ANBU guard for four hours. Usually, he likes to spend this time alone in the training grounds, getting the fresh air and exercise and the illusion of freedom that he desperately craves. While the bulk of his groceries is typically delivered directly to his house, Sasuke also makes use of this time to run errands on some occasions. It was during one such outing last week that he had the misfortune of meeting a particularly vicious old lady who happened to be bent on choking the life out of him.

Sasuke hopes that things will be more peaceful this week.

They leave the house and take the long way to the marketplace. The sky is clear and the sun is blazing hot. Sunlight filters through the thick canopy above his head. Satisfaction curls deep within Sasuke as he breaks into a rapid run. He pushes himself hard, not caring as Naruto hastens to keep up. Perspiration beads on his skin and his blood sings – he has never yearned for the outdoors as much as he did over the past year.

They take a detour through some nearby training grounds and squeeze in a light spar. Sasuke is, to his annoyance, breathless and aching when they finish. He knows that he is out of shape – he is a long, long way from what he was at his peak. But the physical exertion clears his head and soothes his mind. It calms the turbulence within him better than any drug can.

They leave the training grounds now. For the moment, Sasuke is satiated.

They head into the market, seeking lunch. Naruto proposes ramen, Sasuke rejects the suggestion, and they argue passionately for a few minutes. Eventually they settle for okonomiyaki. Sasuke picks up some tomatoes on their way to the stall, and by the time he slides into his seat and places his order, he is hungrier than he has thought he would be.

Their food arrives shortly after, served by a cheerful young woman with a bright smile. They waste no time in tucking in. Naruto chatters, between mouthfuls of food, about the current state of the village repairs and the latest gossip. He is in the middle of giving what Sasuke privately thinks is a grossly detailed account of his personal life over the past few days when someone catches his eye.

Naruto brightens and give a friendly wave. "Oi, Kentaro!" he calls heartily. "Over here!"

Sasuke glances in the direction of Naruto's wave. He recognises Kentaro amongst the lunchtime crowd that fills the restaurant – it is the young medic whom Sakura had sent to his house. The boy does not leave his spot in the queue for takeaway orders, but his face lights up when he sees Naruto. He dips into a shy bow in the direction of their table.

"Naruto-sama," he mouths. Admiration lights up his face.

Naruto grins, his blue eyes crinkling. He hops off his wooden stool and jogs over towards the boy. Sasuke watches briefly as Naruto slaps the boy jovially on the back, and they begin to chat animatedly. Sasuke turns his attention back to his lunch, but it is not hard to catch bits of their conversation. Sakura's name is mentioned several times.

Eventually, Naruto returns. Sasuke looks up, only to see Kentaro manage a brave smile and nod to him. The young medic disappears out of the shop, a bag of food dangling from his hand.

"Poor Sakura-chan," Naruto says as he resumes eating. "Kentaro says she hasn't been having lunch." He pops another piece of food into his mouth and chews noisily before adding, "Kentaro's a good kid. Sakura mentors him in the hospital."

Sasuke grunts.

The conversation drifts into other topics. Eventually Sasuke finishes his food and informs Naruto that he is leaving. He only has twenty minutes left before his four hours are up. Naruto nods and drops some money onto the table.

As they walk out into the marketplace, Sasuke is unprepared for the intense probing gaze that his friend slants towards him. He raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"Kentaro says that Sakura-chan is upset with you," Naruto says carefully. Sasuke stays silent, but looks away. He does not want to discuss this with Naruto.

Naruto shrugs. He doesn't really expect Sasuke to reply, anyway. "Well, whatever you did to piss her off, you'd better set it right," he tells his friend sagely. "Trust me, it's for your own good."

* * *

Sasuke's eyes open before Sakura even steps into his room.

He tenses. Sakura appears a moment later, cool air bursting into his room behind her. She yanks on the window with more force than is entirely necessary, and it slides shut with a loud bang.

The silence that follows is very loud. Watery sunlight streams through the glass window, illuminating her slender form. Sakura does not look at him.

Sasuke pushes himself up. He stares hard at the woman in his room, slowly blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He has had a rough night – he has only managed to doze off a few hours before this unwelcome interruption. Familiar annoyance bubbles up in his chest.

It seems like Sakura is making a habit of this breaking-and-entering thing. Sasuke glares. He needs to get some locks installed on that damned window.

The pink-haired woman is the first to disrupt the silence. She turns slightly towards him, sliding a calm gaze around his darkened room. Eventually her gazes comes to a rest on his disheveled form. Gold tangles in her hair, and her eyes gleam green. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun. It's a lovely morning," she remarks conversationally, as though she has not just broken into a sleeping man's room at six in the morning. "Would you like to spar?"

The steel in her voice alerts him to the fact that her words are not exactly intended as a question. This is quite unexpected and strange – the Sakura of his childhood that Sasuke remembers is too shy and adoring to barge into his room like this, and the Sakura he has encountered since his return is too distant and wary.

Sasuke contemplates the ramifications of ignoring Sakura and going back to bed, but then he decides that his former teammate will probably _wreck_ him if he dared to do so. He's seen enough of her temper in response to Naruto's frequent acts of idiocy.

He runs a hand through his hair and grunts half-heartedly. Under normal circumstances, he would be awake anyway. After all, he has always been an early riser. But last night had been more difficult than most, and Sasuke is tired.

When Sakura's gaze sharpens into a glare, Sasuke holds back a sigh. He slouches back against the headboard. This is turning out to be a shit morning, he reflects quietly to himself.

His movements send his blankets slipping ever so slightly, revealing the waistband of his boxers slung low on his hips. This detail does not escape Sakura's bright eyes. She is too angry today to really appreciate the (admittedly excellent) view, but it does not stop the slight heat from rising to her cheeks.

"It's six, Sakura," Sasuke growls lowly, running a hand through his hair again. "In the morning," he adds after a moment, in case she hasn't gotten the point.

Her reply is a particularly derisive snort. "Yes, I am aware," she says acidly. Her resemblance to Tsunade in that moment is so strong that Sasuke finds himself blinking slowly in surprise. "This so happens to be the only time of the day I'm available."

It seems that Sakura herself is not pleased at being here either. Sasuke notices, for the first time, the large bag that she has brought along with her. After a moment, he tilts his head and gazes at her dubiously.

"I'm under house arrest," he says flatly at last. It is a paltry attempt to prolong his stay in bed, and Sakura knows it too. She flaps her hand dismissively, brushing off his words.

"Yes, but I have the authority to bend the rules a little," she says casually.

_That_ gets his attention. As tired as he is, Sasuke is intrigued: just how much power does Sakura wield in Konoha right now? He finds his eyes roving over the slight form of his former teammate with barely-veiled interest. He has never sparred with her before, and it _is_ difficult to resist the draw of a few precious hours of freedom outside his house.

Sakura notices this. A humorless, wicked little smile curls her lips. It is not an expression Sasuke is used to seeing on her, and it startles him. He is reminded, uncomfortably, of how little he really knows about Sakura – and the rest of Konoha – these days.

If Sakura picks up on his unease, she does not show it. "Anything for you, Sasuke-kun," she teases instead. "I have an hour before I need to get to the hospital. Shall we get going?"

* * *

_(dropping your guard, rusty)_

Sasuke steps out of his house several minutes later. He is bare-chested, clad only in loose-fitting nin pants. The morning air is crisp; the smell of grass and summer fills his lungs as he draws in a deep breath. Sakura is already waiting for him, hauling that large bag of hers behind her.

She beckons him and he follows. They make their way out of the Uchiha grounds.

He can sense his ANBU guards hovering in the foliage beyond, and notes with dark amusement the minute fluttering of their chakra. They are confused and a little nervous, he can tell. Sakura, too, feels it – she pauses for a second to offer a reassuring smile to their onlookers.

They come to a stop in a middle of a large clearing. Sasuke recognises this place – it is one of the smaller training grounds Sakura favored as a genin. It was here that Kakashi taught them to walk up trees by fusing their feet to the trunk with chakra. The clarity of this unexpected memory startles Sasuke, and he finds himself smirking softly before he can help it.

Sakura turns to him. "Taijutsu only. No chakra-enhanced techniques. First person to get three pins wins," she announces, pulling on a fingerless glove. Sasuke nods in agreement. With most of his chakra pathways sealed and Kusanagi locked away by Konoha, taijutsu is all that he can use anyway. He prefers genjutsu and ninjutsu, but he supposes he can always do with more taijutsu training.

Sakura gives him a grim smile. "When you're ready, Sasuke-kun," she says softly. Then she vanishes.

Sasuke tenses. His eyes flicker over the clearing, and he dodges to the left just as Sakura reappears, her fist flying out. Her eyes glint in the morning light. He is forced to parry as she roars loudly, launching a flurry of sharp jabs in his direction. One of her hits makes a land and pain blooms across his side, where he is still healing.

Sakura is not holding back.

Sasuke smirks. Sakura is fast – much faster than he remembers. She is not as fast as Naruto, of course, and certainly nowhere near his own speed. Still, the disparity between the Sakura of his youth and the woman who is crouching before him now is startling, more so when he remembers taijutsu to be the weakest of her abilities.

It is exhilarating to face a new opponent.

He returns her blows, analyzing her with shrewd eyes. Sakura's movements are graceful and efficient. He notes quickly how she makes full use of her extensive knowledge of the human body's weaknesses – each strike is targeted at the most vulnerable spots, each blow is perfectly calculated to deliver the maximum amount of damage with the least exertion.

Anticipating her next move, he ducks and strikes to the right. Sakura grunts as his fist makes impact with her shoulder. She recovers at once, one leg lashing out in a retaliatory kick that Sasuke barely dodges before darting away. He is determined not to let her get away, so he coils and flickers out of sight, reappearing behind her in the blink of an eye.

He is raising one hand up towards the back of her neck before he knows it – an instinctive desire to disable her as efficiently and as quickly as possible – but Sakura twists and shoves him off with surprising viciousness. She leaps out of his reach.

When she turns to face him again, her eyes are burning and her chest is heaving.

"Do not insult me," Sakura spits furiously. The familiarity of that move brings up stinging memories of tears and moonlight and cold stone benches. She breathes in once, twice.

When she attacks him again, the strength behind her blows is staggering.

Sasuke leaps up, dodging her strikes and just missing the low powerful kick she sends sweeping out towards him. He lurches, his fist surging forward in a feint. Sakura's lips press into a grim line; she is too sharp to fall for it. She flips up towards him instead, twisting and aiming a strong kick towards his ribs.

He evades, but suddenly Sakura is behind him, holding a kunai against the delicate flesh of his throat. One arm locks solidly against the wide expanse of his shoulders, and she takes pleasure in pressing the kunai close.

"Pin," Sakura murmurs coolly, her lips brushing dangerously close against his ear. Against his will, Sasuke struggles to hold back a shudder.

A second later, Sakura is ten paces away. She slides the kunai into the small holster she wears around her thigh. Not once did she take her eyes off him. Her gaze is challenging. Sasuke understands the message immediately – _do not underestimate me_.

His eyes glitter with anticipation. He flexes his fist before charging, adrenaline singing through his veins. For every blow that he aims towards the pink-haired young woman, she returns with a well-placed, powerful strike.

They exchange heated blows for several minutes. Sakura is fast, but Sasuke – in spite of his lack of sleep and physical deterioration – is still faster. It is only a matter of time before he catches her off guard. When he spies an opening in her defense, he grabs her shoulders viciously, forcing her backwards against him.

Sakura stumbles and lands with a solid thud. She struggles to remove herself from his grasp, but he slides one strong arm over her stomach and tightens his grip. Her breathing grows strained and heat coils lowly within her as she begins to realize just how tightly she is being pressed against Sasuke's body.

Sasuke's voice is a dark taunt in her ear. "Pin," he says huskily. He has no weapons with him, so instead he raises a hand and taps two calloused fingers against her throat meaningfully.

Sakura is wholly unprepared for the terrifying, nauseating panic that crashes down on her at this action.

She stiffens and cries out, struggling violently to break free. Sasuke loosens his grip at once, startled by the erratic bursts of chakra from the woman within his arms.

Tearing herself away, Sakura stumbles backwards. She looks up, her eyes wild and confused. When she slides a hand up to wrap protectively around her throat and stares at him distantly, it does not take a genius to figure out why she has reacted the way she did.

"Sakura," he mutters. There is guilt in his voice, which he tries to smother. He takes a step forward slowly.

His former teammate flinches at the sound of his voice. She looks at him now, eyes hard and alert and shuttered. Her hand drops stiffly to her side as she slides back into a defensive stance. She will not – she _cannot – _let her guard drop again.

"Continue," Sakura orders flintily. The distance between them could not have been greater. Sakura's lips press into a thin line and before he can say anything, she is flying towards him, one fist poised to deliver a devastating punch.

Sasuke ducks, but Sakura has anticipated this. In one swift action, she whirls around and follows up with a sharp uppercut. Exhaustion renders his movements sloppy and sluggish. He is too slow in pulling back, so when Sakura's fist makes contact with his jaw, his entire head snaps back with the impact.

Sakura's smile is sharp and terrible. Sasuke has never seen such an expression on her before.

He raises one hand to wipe the dribble of blood trickling from the side of his mouth. Then he is leaping forward, eyes narrowed and fists drawn. They meet in the center of the clearing, trading blows viciously. Sakura is not as strong nor as fast as Sasuke, but she can certainly hold her own.

They fight for several minutes, before at last Sasuke slams a powerful kick into Sakura's side. She grunts in pain, twisting awkwardly as she tries to minimize the force of the impact. In a final act of desperation, she lashes out blindly at Sasuke. They both fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

The hard thud of the ground against her back sends stars into Sakura's vision, but she ignores it in favor of struggling to gain dominance over Sasuke. She manages to get a couple of painful jabs in, but without the use of her chakra-enhanced strength, it is difficult to flip herself over. Sasuke has the foresight to lock her wrists in a tight and unforgiving grip before she can do much else, and Sakura releases a strangled yell of frustration as she struggles beneath him. He grunts in exertion, maneuvering himself until he is hovering just above her.

Short sharp pants escape her parted lips, fanning lightly across his face. Sasuke, she thinks with a growing sense of dread, is very, very close.

Sasuke presses against her, stilling her struggles. He is careful not to suffocate her, nor to put his hands anywhere near her throat. "Yield," he growls, tiring of the spar suddenly. It is only his second pin, but already he can feel his muscles aching. The strain of his muscles speaks volumes of how rusty he has become. He is sure there are throbbing bruises where she has hit him.

Sakura looks up at the man who has pinned her to the ground. Perspiration drips down his face. His eyes are dark and questioning as he watches her through lowered eyelashes.

"Okay," she agrees, going limp beneath him. For a moment, they do not move. Sakura's eyes close. She tries to ignore the heat emanating from him as he presses against her, the clean musky scent that she now knows belongs to Sasuke.

Then he releases her arms and pulls away.

Sakura sits up, rubbing her wrists absently to improve blood circulation. She trembles quietly, trying her best not to think about her undesired reactions during the fight. There will be time for that later, when she is alone. She schools her expression into one of neutrality – she will _not_ give Sasuke the satisfaction of seeing her undone.

She is startled when Sasuke drops down onto the ground beside her.

There is a brief moment of hesitation before Sasuke speaks. "Well fought," he says stiffly. He has seen Sakura's monstrous chakra-enhanced strength in action several times. She has held back this time out of respect for his probation limitations, and Sasuke is well aware that in a true fight, victory will not come as quickly. "We don't spar much," he continues blandly.

Sakura's lips twist into a wry, caustic smile. "The hospital keeps me busy," she says off-handedly. "And I wasn't worth your time when we were genin."

Sasuke meets her eyes unflinchingly. She is right, and she knows it. "I have done foolish things," he says quietly. It is as close to an apology as she has ever heard.

Sakura glances over, surprised. Warmth fills her unexpectedly at his words. In spite of everything that has just transpired during their spar, her heart begins to calm.

In moments like this, Sakura thinks she can recognize the boy who was kind enough to encourage her to become stronger during the Chuunin examinations. A smile forms, sad and slow. "Thank you for the spar," she says politely. She notes with satisfaction the damage she has inflicted. As Sakura raises a hand to heal him, Sasuke shakes his head.

"Heal yourself first," he says shortly. He does not look at her.

Sakura snorts softly but complies. Typical, prideful Sasuke. Her own injuries are superficial; bruises and scrapes fade rapidly as she runs a glowing hand over her own body. As the ache fades from her muscles, she slowly begins to relax. When she is done, she turns to him and begins her work. She is pleased to note that Sasuke does not resist, and even happier when she realizes that she has given Sasuke a minor fracture when she punched him in the jaw.

A moment of silence stretches on precariously between them. Sasuke lets his eyes fall shut under the soothing lull of Sakura's chakra. His body is practically humming with satisfaction from the exertion of their spar, and he thinks he is willing to let his guard drop, for now.

"You missed your hospital appointment," Sakura remarks suddenly. Her fingers ghost over his jaw as she checks to make sure it is fully healed.

Sasuke wants to smirk, but it is hard when Sakura has a firm grip on his jaw. So _this_ is what this spar is really about. He has guessed as much. Well, she has him where she wants him, he thinks wryly.

"You're under house arrest, Sasuke-kun," Sakura deadpans, echoing his words from earlier this morning. She takes a moment to push sweaty bangs out of her face impatiently. Then her hand drops to his side, and she begins to heal the mottled bruises scattered across his bare flesh. "Did you really think you could get out of your physicals?"

Sasuke shrugs and does not correct her. He knows he cannot get away from his medical examinations – cannot get away from _her_ – but that does not mean he is going to quietly obey every instruction thrown his way. Exhaustion loosens his tongue, so he tells her as much.

"I did not ask for them," he says stoically. "If Konoha wants to examine me, then they can come to _me_."

Sakura raises an eyebrow, surprised that he has actually deigned to reply her. She does not say it out loud, but that answering spark of challenge in his dark, dark eyes pleases her more than it probably should. Crossing the clearing, Sakura retrieves the large bag she has brought along with her. She reaches into the bag and begins to prepare a syringe.

"Well, congratulations, Sasuke-kun. I'm here now," she answers dryly, gesturing to herself with one hand. "I hope you're happy about that. Now work with me please, I need to do my job."

Without waiting for his approval, Sakura drops down beside him and leans in close.

Sasuke sighs grudgingly but shifts to allow her access. There is no point making things more difficult for himself, now that Sakura is here right in front of him. He knows, at the end of the day, that she is only doing this on Tsunade's orders. Sasuke really has no choice but to obey.

All shinobi of Konoha are required by law to undergo an annual full-body physical and mental examination. Technically, Sasuke is in fact a prisoner of Konoha; he has not yet been fully reinstated. But his last physical was about a year ago, and Sakura prefers to be on top of things, especially when her patient is being sent on dangerous A-ranked missions.

"Clench your right fist," Sakura instructs at last. She easily locates a suitable vein and cleans his arm with an antiseptic swipe before she slides the needle in. Despite the annoyance in her voice, her actions are gentle and she takes care not to leave bruises. She directs him to press a clean piece of cotton gauze against the injection site. Then she reaches for her bag, and quickly stores the blood sample in a cooled compartment.

Throughout all of this, Sakura ignores Sasuke's steady, unwavering gaze.

A slight breeze picks up in the clearing around them. Sakura spends the next few minutes checking Sasuke's side injury. It is mostly healed, but she presses a burst of healing chakra into the site anyway, just to be sure. It has the effect of reducing some redness and soothing the angry pucker of his wound. She directs her chakra deeper once she is satisfied with his progress.

Sasuke tenses up as her chakra delves into him. Sakura's chakra is gentle and familiar, but he is unprepared for such an intrusion. It is a bewildering experience – her chakra tingles coolly against his skin but forces warmth to well up from within as it seeps deep into his bones. Experience has taught Sakura to anticipate this reaction, so she is already pressing a calming hand against his arm.

As Sasuke slowly relaxes at her touch, she begins to probe his chakra pathways. Once this is finished, Sakura pauses for a moment to jot some notes down. Sasuke is still watching her intently, but she is too focused on her work to really be bothered.

The rest of the physical examination proceeds smoothly. It is the first time Sakura is carrying out a thorough check-up in such an unsterile and exposed environment, but she supposes Sasuke is a special patient. She does not complain: the physical exertion of their short spar has the helpful effects of relaxing her patient and loosening his muscles.

Sakura checks thoroughly for abnormalities, instructing the dark-haired man to move as required. It helps that Sasuke is already topless; it certainly saves her the trouble of getting him to strip. She counts the number of vertebrae in his spine, presses gloved hands against his abdomen, and listens to the steady thud of his heart through a stethoscope.

Sakura is proud of the way she manages to keep her face straight when Sasuke's muscles jump beneath her touch. She is learning something new today: Sasuke is very sensitive to touch, especially around his ribs. It is an amusing, frighteningly intimate piece of information.

Sakura tucks this newfound knowledge away in the recesses of her heart for safekeeping.

They come to the last aspect of the physical examination at last. Sakura decides she will keep it brief (just a precursory assessment, she thinks) since Tsunade herself has carried it out a month ago. Besides, there is not much she can do at the moment – not when his Sharingan has been sealed. "We're nearly done," Sakura informs Sasuke. She relaxes into a graceful kneel on the ground directly before him. "I just need to look at your eyes, Sasuke-kun."

He eyes her balefully for a moment, and Sakura thinks that perhaps his cooperative streak has come to an end. She cannot imagine Sasuke letting anyone probe his eyes – these are the eyes that carry the last of the Uchiha legacy, that hold the weight of the Sharingan's secrets. Asking Sasuke to let her study his eyes is akin to asking him to reveal his deepest vulnerabilities, she thinks. She braces herself for his rejection.

But Sasuke surprises her yet again. He says nothing as he continues to watch her. After a moment of consideration, he makes his decision. Sakura is left staring in silence as her dark-haired former teammate nods at her in agreement. He shifts subtly towards her in invitation and continues to gaze up quietly at her.

Sasuke agreed, Sakura thinks, and she wants to squeal in disbelief. He's actually agreed...? She has not expected to win this battle so easily. Perhaps Tsunade-sama was right after all.

"Thank you," she blurts out, and feels somewhat foolish when Sasuke raises a brow at her. She shakes her head and laughs nervously, offering him a small smile instead.

Sakura breathes in deeply and touches her fingers lightly against Sasuke's brows. It is an awkward position that requires her to lean in precariously close towards him. Her touch is impossibly gentle. It is a bewildering contrast from the violence she had unhesitatingly unleashed upon him just thirty minutes ago.

Sasuke watches her carefully through her fingers for a moment. He must have found what he was looking for, because he lowers his gaze at last and allows his eyes to slide close.

Without Sasuke staring at her, Sakura finally allows herself to relax. She takes a moment to examine her patient, and struggles to hold back an envious sigh. She _knows_ that Sasuke is devastatingly attractive – her subconscious likes to remind her of it through the occasional raunchy dream – but today they are close enough for her to pick out the way his dark lashes tangle at the corners. She cannot help but be struck by the symmetry of his aristocratic features, the chiseled angles of his cheekbones, the defined curve of his jaw.

Puberty has been kind to Sasuke, Sakura thinks wryly. If Konoha held a beauty pageant, Sasuke would give everyone a run for their money. He is certainly more beautiful than most girls could ever hope to be.

The thought of Sasuke sashaying down a runway nearly sends her into a fit of giggles. Sakura grins and shakes her head, making a mental note to tell Naruto about it.

Once she calms down, she closes her eyes and begins to concentrate.

The delicate blood vessels surrounding the human eyeball mean that any healing of eyes is notoriously difficult. It requires a fine and immaculate control of chakra. Sakura considers herself blessed – chakra control, for her, has always been one of her greatest strengths. Nonetheless, she approaches her task with care and diligence. Sasuke is the last of the Uchiha, and Konoha has a deep vested interest in the continued survival of the Sharingan.

Her fingers light up with the glow of chakra. Gently, Sakura begins to examine Sasuke's eyes. She checks the blood pressure within his eyeballs, probes the tiny blood vessels at the back of his eyes and evaluates the strength of the muscles holding his eyes. When she is done, Sakura hums to herself in satisfaction and pulls away.

Sasuke's eyes blink open, focusing on her face at once. She smiles brightly. "All done," she says cheerfully. She gives herself a little stretch to work the tension out of her shoulders.

Sasuke grunts. He has a wary look on his face, as though he does not quite believe her. Sakura guesses, correctly, that he is thinking about how she is also supposed to be assessing his mental health. She offers him a reassuring smile. This will be all for today. She needs some time to sort through her own thoughts.

"Your eyes are a bit dry," Sakura says instead, catching his attention.

Sasuke nods. "Sometimes," he agrees. "During the winter."

Sakura is not surprised. It is a fairly common side-effect of invasive eye procedures, and Sakura already knows that the eyes she is looking at now belonged at one point to Itachi. They are darker, deeper than the eyes she used to dream about in her youth, but every bit as beautiful. "There was minor damage done to some of the tear glands when your eyes were – during the transplant," she explains, hesitating as she tries to find the best words. She recovers. "I can do something about it, if you want," she finishes, and wishes that she didn't sound quite so lame.

Sasuke considers her offer, and finally acquiesces with a slow nod. He recalls that the use of katon after the transplant sometimes left his eyes stinging from the heat. It is an almost hazy memory. "Another day," he asserts, and Sakura nods in agreement. She does not have the time to carry out the delicate procedure today, and besides, the forest is hardly the right setting.

"Right. I'll see you in the hospital this time, I hope?" she ventures. There is a hint of teasing in her voice this time as she gets to her feet. It is time for her to leave – she has surgery scheduled to start in ninety minutes and she wants to sort out some paperwork before she scrubs in.

Sakura looks down at her current patient, a warm smile blooming across her face. She is already rearranging her schedule to fit Sasuke in – she decides that she will finish up the rest of his physical when they next meet, and take time to review his progress. She can find time for Sasuke-kun this week, Sakura thinks absently. She can always find time for Sasuke-kun.

Sasuke rises to his feet as well. He looks disgruntled, but Sakura recognizes a victory when she sees one.

"Tuesday, 5 p.m.," she declares, shaking her finger at him. "And don't be late, or I'll set Naruto on you!"

* * *

_(rewind the time)_

It is past midnight by the time Sakura stumbles into her apartment.

Sakura locks the door behind her wearily and fumbles around for the light switch. The flood of light that follows has her squinting and grumbling under her breath. She kicks off her shoes by the door carelessly, not bothering to pick them up. After all, she knows she will be putting them on again in six hours.

Sakura wanders into the kitchen and pours herself a drink of cold water. She gulps it down rapidly before turning a critical eye to the kitchen.

Her kitchen is, admittedly, messier than she would like it to be. There is a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, and Sakura knows that she needs to clear out the expired food that is lying around in her fridge. Her small kitchen table itself is hardly visible under the impressive pile of thick books and medical scrolls she has amassed. A large number of them are on mental health and chakra healing of the mind, although there are a few on the Sharingan.

Sakura picks up the nearest book – it is a manual detailing the treatment of post-trauma stress disorders, with a focus on war trauma. She makes a mental note to bring it into the hospital tomorrow; Tsunade sent this one along a few days ago, and she has not finished reading it yet.

She switches off the kitchen light. Then she makes her way to the bathroom sluggishly, pulling off various articles of clothing.

It is a small apartment, and Sakura lives alone now. She moved out of her parents' house just before the war started. Her parents were unhappy about her moving out, of course, but with the long hours she was putting in at the hospital and the numerous missions she was taking on, it was for the best. Sakura reasons that if her parents have no idea what time she was getting home, then they don't have to worry.

Sakura is clad only in her underwear by the time she enters the bathroom. She removes the last of her clothing and tosses it into the laundry bag outside the door. With a tired sigh, she steps into the shower and turns the heat up to the maximum setting.

Hot water cascades down relentlessly. It washes away the tiredness in her bones, the ache in her muscles, and the impression of Sasuke's warm hard body against her skin.

Sakura trembles and presses her forehead against the cool bathroom tiles.

She allows herself the luxury of standing motionless under pouring hot water for all of two minutes, before she reaches out for soap. She forces herself to scrub her body methodically, rigorously. It is a habit that she's had for many years now – working in a hospital calls for high standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness.

When she is done, Sakura towel-dries herself briskly and pulls on clean underwear. She has trouble finding clean pajama bottoms in her drawer, so she shrugs and slips into an oversized t-shirt instead. It takes her all of six large eager strides before she is crawling into bed and burying herself under her covers.

She closes her eyes. Now that she is in a safe place, Sakura finally allows her thoughts wander to the events that had happened earlier today.

Sparring with Sasuke this morning had not been an impulsive move. She was not simply taking her displeasure out on Sasuke, although she will readily admit that landing blows on her former teammate filled her with a guilty sort of satisfaction.

The truth is that, while they were sparring, Sakura had been evaluating Sasuke.

Sakura had deliberated a course of action for several days since he missed his appointment. She had a mission to complete, but she feared upsetting the delicate balance of their relationship by pushing him too hard on the matter. It was Kakashi who eventually gave her an idea.

"Give him time," the silver-haired jounin had advised. They were in the middle of a routine check-up, and Sakura had just confessed to him her difficulties in securing Sasuke's compliance. "He'll come around soon," Kakashi had chuckled then, his eyes glinting in amusement. "After all, he's trapped in that house with only Naruto for company. It won't be long before he starts trying to leave."

That got Sakura thinking, and when she cunningly offered Sasuke an opportunity to get out into the open, she knew he would not be able to resist. The fact that she chose the ungodly time of six in the morning to dangle this offer in front of himwas unfortunate; that _really_ was the only time she was available all day.

Sakura has not sparred with Sasuke in recent times. She does, however, train with Naruto regularly (or, as regularly as she can afford to). She compares Sasuke's speed, strength and reflexes against Naruto's, and notes with concern that there is a noticeable discrepancy now. The lack of physical training is clearly taking its toll on Sasuke's body. While Sakura did not hold back her blows earlier today, she was somewhat distracted examining her patient. It certainly wasn't her best fight.

The Sasuke she remembers from the war would not have even allowed her that first pin.

They will need to rectify this, she thinks determinedly. Sasuke in his current state is still fit for an A-rank, provided they unseal his chakra pathways. Sakura isn't sure he would survive an S-rank, however, and she would rather not take any chances. It was hard enough getting him back in Konoha alive.

Sakura sighs and rolls over in bed, burying her face into her pillow. She thinks of Sasuke's face in the early morning light and grimaces. One does not need to be a medical professional to tell that he is having difficulties sleeping. The dark bags under his eyes and the pallor of his face were proof enough. She wonders if he is really ready to be taken off the sleeping pills.

Then, there is the matter of her own loss of control. Her eyes drift shut as she curls up on her side. Sakura allows herself, at last, to reflect on her responses during their spar.

Sasuke's proximity during their fight had lit a spark of undesired arousal. Of course, her body, the traitor, had responded. Sakura is a little embarrassed, but for the most part she is not surprised. She is a healthy young woman, after all, and the nature of her work has long since instilled in her a certain stoicism about accepting such bodily reactions. If Sasuke at age twelve could send her heart racing and her cheeks blushing, then it really is no surprise that the Sasuke of today is able to turn her on so easily.

Sakura is untroubled by this, even if her cheeks start heating up at the mere recollection of Sasuke's bare skin.

She is, however, deeply troubled by the terror she had felt, trapped in Sasuke's grip.

Sasuke tried to kill her some years back. It had taken many sessions of counselling and several prescriptions of sedatives before she was able to come to terms with the matter. Those were difficult days: the sound of birds chirping outside her window in the morning used to jolt her awake, her heart pounding and her hands clammy with cold sweat. Sakura is not proud about the way she handled matters back then. The glint of betrayal she had caught, somewhere behind the crazed hatred in his eyes – a look she was never meant to see, perhaps – was a sight that plagued her sleep for months afterwards.

Sakura learnt back then, to her regret, that she may never stop caring for Sasuke.

And now… Sakura swallows. The raw panic that had gripped her when Sasuke touched her throat – one of her most vulnerable spots – is a lingering whisper at the back of her mind. He could have snapped her neck, a traitorous little voice mutters. He could have choked her with one squeeze of his hands.

Shame wells up, unbidden. Sakura pushes the dark thoughts away violently. She fists her hands in her covers and forces herself to draw a deep breath, willing sleep to come.

She's made a mistake, she thinks to herself with dismay. She did not expect herself to get so affected. Sakura realizes, with startling clarity, that she does not trust Sasuke.

It doesn't matter. This is about Sasuke, not her. She won't lose control like that again.

* * *

_A/N_: Work is shaping up to be a little more intense than I'd expected, so it's been hard finding time to write. But here's a HUGE thank you to everyone for the kind words of encouragement! It really keeps me going. (That and the recent manga chapters - major Team 7 feels going on there, hooray!)

Hope you've all been well! Take care.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Long Road Home  
****Chapter 4**

* * *

On Tuesday afternoon, Sasuke sets off dutifully for Konoha General Hospital. His ANBU guards trail noiselessly a short distance behind, having been informed of his scheduled medical appointment. He takes his time with the walk, gazing quietly out at the village that lies before him. Sasuke does not usually bother to observe Konoha – he does not really care – but he is a little early, and the weather is especially enjoyable. He notes the gleam of newly-painted walls of the buildings he passes.

Konoha is recovering at an admirable pace. Sasuke cannot help but think of Naruto, all bright grins and unwavering pride. It is only a matter of time before the blonde eventually becomes Hokage. Sasuke knows this – he knows this with a sort of bone-deep certainty. There is no jealousy or bitterness; only a faint sense of acceptance.

Sasuke steps into the hospital shortly after. The sharp bite of disinfectant fills his nose immediately. He grimaces. Most shinobi will do anything to put off a visit to the hospital, and Sasuke is no exception. Still, he's made a promise. Sasuke is not very good at keeping promises, but he supposes that he _could_ make the effort to try for once. He slips through the corridors soundlessly, making his way to the wing where he knows Sakura's office is situated.

He has barely stepped out onto the third floor when a vaguely familiar voice greets him: "Uchiha-san!"

Sasuke glances up. It is the young medic whom Sakura had sent to his house. The boy waves hesitantly, and Sasuke inclines his head slightly. He cannot remember the boy's name.

The boy hurries towards him and there is a strange expression on his face – as though he cannot decide if he should be amazed or terrified at having to face _the_ Uchiha Sasuke again. He stops a safe distance away and bows uncertainly to Sasuke.

"Haruno-senpai said to expect you," he says, and wrings his hands in a helpless sort of manner. "Would you like to follow me?"

Sasuke nods wordlessly, and the boy begins to lead the way.

"Haruno-senpai is running late," the boy explains nervously. He takes quick, short steps down the corridor. They come to a stop in front of an empty examination room and he pushes the door ajar, gesturing to Sasuke. "She says she's sorry, and asks that you wait a short while for her," the boy continues quickly. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. Can I get you anything to drink, Uchiha-san?"

He looks so eager to please that Sasuke feels a little uncomfortable. He shakes his head. "Thank you," he says as an afterthought. There is something about the boy that reminds him vaguely of Sakura during her genin days, but he chooses not to dwell upon those thoughts.

The boy nods and turns to leave, shutting the door gently behind him.

Sasuke takes a seat on the examination table and spends a few moments scanning his surroundings. It is an old habit. Any shinobi worth his salt automatically evaluates new surroundings for danger, and life as a missing-nin had only sharpened these survival instincts. He has already catalogued possible makeshift weapons available in the small room and is in the process of mapping out the quickest escape route out of the hospital (he would go through the window, because the windows are facing east and Sasuke recalls a thick forest lying some distance in that direction) when he senses Sakura's chakra down the hallway.

A moment later, he hears her. She's not alone. There are a few unfamiliar chakra signatures following closely behind her. He guesses that they are nurses or junior medics; he can already hear Sakura instructing them in a clear, patient voice. They stop outside the room, and Sakura continues to talk to her colleagues. There is a lot of medical jargon being exchanged in their conversation, so Sasuke tunes out and focuses instead on the calm, confident cadence of Sakura's voice.

This is a side of Sakura he has rarely seen. Sasuke realizes, for the first time, the absolute lack of knowledge he has about Sakura's work in the hospital. He knows, of course, that Sakura has grown and taken on responsibilities beyond what he would have ever expected of the weakest link in Team 7.

But Sasuke has never heard her issue commands with such authority, and he has never observed the respect and admiration that colors the muffled murmurs of her colleagues.

In that moment, Sasuke understands: the power that Sakura wields is not like his and Naruto's. She will never match them in physical strength and speed. After all, she doesn't have a tailed beast trapped within her, nor was she born with a formidable bloodline limit. No, Sakura was born enviably average. But Sakura strives, and strives hard to make up for what she lacks. Sakura offers what few others have mastered: a repository of specialist knowledge, the endless drive to improve, and what appears to be a surprisingly effective touch for leadership.

Eventually the group conversation comes to an end. There is a chorus of grateful thanks and goodbyes as her colleagues leave. Then the door handle turns, and Sakura steps in with a pleased smile on her face.

"Sasuke-kun!" she greets brightly. Her hair is tied up in a short ponytail today and she is wearing her lab coat. "You came."

He doesn't say anything but his expression must have given him away because Sakura breaks out in a short peal of laughter. "You can't blame me," she says, walking over towards him. "You didn't show up for the last appointment."

He sniffs. Sakura shakes her head and gestures towards the weighing scale in the corner of the room. "Come on, Sasuke-kun," she declares. "Let's get started."

Sakura pulls out a thick folder from a drawer and proceeds to take him through a few tests that she's missed during her examination a few days ago. Nothing too complicated – just updating his height, weight, and blood pressure readings.

As she busies herself, she observes Sasuke. His eyes watch her keenly, intensely. He is being subtle, but she knows that he is on edge. He doesn't let any slight detail escape him, and Sakura does not blame him. Most shinobi would do just about anything to avoid stepping into a hospital.

"Relax, Sasuke-kun," she says softly. She doesn't look up from the form she is currently filling up. "This won't take long."

The dark-haired man sitting stiffly before her scoffs, but Sakura ignores him. She allows herself a small smile of encouragement when she notes how he forces himself to relax. He still looks like he's ready to bolt from the room any moment, but she supposes it's an improvement.

"You've lost weight," Sakura comments instead. _Again_, she wants to add, but refrains from doing so. "How's your appetite lately?"

Sasuke shrugs carelessly. Meals aren't exactly on the top of his priority list, to be honest. When it looks like Sakura is expecting an answer, he sighs. "Sometimes I forget meals," he admits, with a small amount of irritation. "I don't get hungry much."

Sakura nods. Her expression gives nothing away. "Are you sleeping well?" she inquires.

Sasuke says nothing and rests his gaze on the nearest wall. Tsunade had been reduced the dosage of sleeping pills, and the nightmares had come back with a raging vengeance. They have not waned since, so he's learnt to get used to waking up in cold sweat again.

But Sasuke doesn't want to say this out loud to _Sakura_, of all people, and he certainly doesn't want to have to ask her to increase the dosage.

When the silence between them stretches on a beat too long, Sakura bends forward to write something down on the paper before her. She has her answer.

She clears her throat awkwardly and continues asking questions. Thankfully, Sasuke appears to feel more cooperative about the rest of her questions. He gives her short answers, and she busies herself taking notes.

When they are done, Sakura glances over the sheet of paper that is now filled with her writing and nods. She closes the file resolutely and looks up at her patient, who is staring at her intently with his dark, dark eyes. She tries not to let herself be unnerved by Sasuke's unwavering gaze.

"Konoha has asked me to evaluate your readiness to be put on active duty," Sakura begins slowly. "Physically you're doing all right, but you've lost a lot of muscle mass since you've come back to Konoha. Your reflexes are dull, and your stamina is a problem. As your physician, I cannot sign you off for S-ranked missions."

Sasuke tenses. It humiliates him to hear Sakura recite the signs of his physical deterioration in such a bland voice. But, more than anything, it sparks a furious desperation within him. If Sakura succeeds in preventing him from going out on missions, it would _kill_ him. He will go insane, he knows this.

He is growling at her before he can stop himself. His fists clench stiffly at his side.

Sakura's breath hitches at the coldness that overtakes Sasuke's features. The look in his eyes is wild, and she knows she needs to defuse the situation. "Sasuke-kun," she says, pleadingly, without thinking. One hand reaches out towards him instinctively.

Then Sakura catches herself and snatches her hand back. She has enough sense to be mortified. "P-please," she stammers. It is so hard to stay in control. "Listen to what I have to say."

He forces himself to focus on her words, her imploring eyes.

Sakura's voice is no longer quite as bland when she speaks again. Now, she only sounds tired. "Look, Sasuke-kun, you know you're not ready for S-ranked missions," she tells him firmly. "We've locked you up for so long that you've become rusty – your body isn't going to remember what it's supposed to do."

He wants to protest. He's survived worse odds before. Sakura seems to have anticipated this, because her eyes harden and she leans forward.

"We went through hell bringing you back to Konoha!" she nearly snarls. "So excuse me if we want to make sure you stay alive a little longer."

The intensity of her feelings terrifies her suddenly. Sakura sags back into her chair, her heart full and her eyes prickling curiously. She looks down, upset and tense and entirely annoyed with how close she's come to becoming undone again.

Her words seems to have stunned Sasuke into silence.

Sakura breathes, in and out. She collects herself. "Eight hours," she says finally, when it looks like Sasuke isn't going to speak. "From tomorrow onwards, you'll be allowed eight hours of training within the Uchiha grounds per day. ANBU will watch over you."

Sasuke's head jerks up. He stares at her, and disbelief is etched beautifully over his face.

Sakura allows herself a brief flare of satisfaction at having caught him off-guard. Then she pushes ahead, taking advantage of his silence. "You're clear for A-ranked missions, and we'll review your physical health again in two months," she says in a clipped tone. She flips through his file distractedly and glances up at her former teammate, who is still staring at her. "I assume that's something you'd like."

At last, Sasuke appears to have found his voice. "8 hours of training," he repeats quietly. "You can do that?"

Sakura nods, and shifts uncomfortably under his stare. "I've already talked to Tsunade-sama about it," she tells him. "The Council agreed."

She leaves out the fact that Sasuke's precarious mental health had been a major factor behind her push for the arrangement. She'd seen how quickly he'd relaxed when they were out in the open, and she knew how difficult it was for Sasuke to be trapped in a small house with only his inner demons for company. The fact that Konoha is suffering a shortage of manpower, and had indeed been planning to send him on several dangerous missions over the next few months, only worked to her advantage.

Sasuke nods slowly. He looks like he isn't sure if he should believe her.

"Another thing, Sasuke-kun," Sakura says. She laces her fingers together and regards him seriously. "I'll put you back on the sleeping pills, for now, but you know you can't take them when you're out on missions."

Sasuke doesn't say anything, but he is relieved. He hasn't slept well in months.

Sakura continues, her voice firm. "I'm increasing your dosage, because I know you're struggling," she says. There is something a little sad in her voice, but when Sasuke looks at her, her expression remains unchanged. "The nightmares aren't going away, Sasuke-kun. I know you're not ready to have me heal your mind, but please, think about it."

He looks at her now. He really _looks_ at her. After a long moment, Sasuke tilts his head.

"What are you thinking of doing?" he questions gravelly. Sakura blinks, surprised at the turn of the conversation.

Her fingers begin drumming absently on the desk. "Well," she says slowly. "I'd carry out chakra healing of your mind. That can be a bit, uh, invasive. Depending on how you take to it, we could combine a chakra approach with some psychotherapy. I'm not qualified for that though, so I'd have to refer you to someone else."

Sasuke shakes his head. "I don't need therapy," he mutters.

"Chakra, then," Sakura answers agreeably. It's the more invasive approach, but she can't imagine Sasuke willingly opening up to one of her colleagues anyway.

"I didn't agree," Sasuke says sharply.

Sakura hums neutrally, but there is a hopeful glint in her eyes as she puts his file away. "I know. Only if you're ready, Sasuke-kun," she says gently. "Now, let's have a look at your eyes."

* * *

When the pleasurable coolness of Sakura's familiar chakra recedes, Sasuke becomes aware of Sakura's fingers. They dance lightly across his brow, brushing softly against his hair.

"Sasuke," Sakura whispers, her voice hushed. It takes a second before he blinks his eyes open drowsily. He manages to catch a fleeting look of confusion on Sakura's face – she's surprised by the unintentional omission of the honorific as well.

"Sasuke-kun," she tries again. "We're done."

Sasuke sits up on the examination table, still blinking. The healing procedure has left him feeling pleasantly relaxed. It took a bit longer than he'd expected, but Sakura had explained to him the delicacy required to heal the damage done to the tiny blood vessels and tear glands. He will never admit it, but between the soothing hum of Sakura's chakra and the sound of her soft steady breathing, he nearly fell asleep.

"We're done," Sakura repeats. She looks pleased as she steps away. She retrieves his file and makes a quick note. "There shouldn't be any problems, but let me know if you experience any discomfort or changes to your vision."

"Hn."

Sakura wonders what might happen if she rolls her eyes at Sasuke's typical response, but checks herself just in time. Sasuke will glare at her, she thinks, smiling just a little. Then he will be confused, because he doesn't expect Sakura, of all people, to roll her eyes at him.

He is looking at her expectantly now. She interprets his look, correctly, to mean that he wants to leave.

Sakura does not hold back her snort of amusement this time. "Yes, Sasuke-kun," she says teasingly. "You're welcome. You can go now. Your prescriptions will be updated and delivered as usual. See you around."

Sasuke hesitates, before inclining his head towards her in thanks. The uncharacteristic gesture surprises Sakura, and a small warm smile spreads over her lips before she can help it.

Satisfied, Sasuke makes his way to the door and lets himself out.

Sakura listens to the door click shut. When she is alone once more, she begins to tidy the examination room. She changes the disposable paper cover on the examination table, and puts away the blood pressure monitor. When she is done, she leaves the room to make her way back to her office.

Sakura has barely stepped into the corridor when the bright warm flare of Naruto's chakra alerts her to his arrival. Her brow quirks. A second later, Naruto comes sauntering down the corridor, a bright grin lighting up his face.

"Sakura-chan!" he crows triumphantly. "There you are!"

"Naruto!" Sakura greets, and she cannot quite hold back the happiness in her voice. It's been a while since she last met Naruto. Between her long hours at the hospital and his heavy involvement with Konoha's reconstruction works, they had virtually no opportunities to see each other.

She smiles when Naruto reaches her side, and reaches up impulsively to hug him. If Naruto is surprised by her public show of affection, he doesn't show it. Instead, he wraps his strong arms around her and squeezes her tight.

Sakura sighs softly and relaxes. Every encounter with Sasuke leaves her feeling oddly drained.

"How did the checkup with the bastard go?" Naruto asks, his voice muffled. He pulls away and peers at her anxiously. "Was he being more of a bastard than usual?"

Sakura shakes her head and beckons Naruto to follow her as she continues towards her office. All things considered, Sasuke's first hospital visit under her charge had turned out pretty well. "How did you know Sasuke-kun came to the hospital today?" she queries.

"Bumped into him on the way here," Naruto informs her. He has a twinkle in his eye. "How did you get him to cooperate?"

Sakura gives him a sidelong smirk. She'll leave the story of how she broke into Sasuke's room at six in the morning for another day, she thinks. "I have my ways," she sings instead. "Why are _you_ in the hospital?"

Naruto pouts. "I came to ask if you wanted to have dinner. I haven't seen you in forever!" he whines. "It's like you never leave the hospital, Sakura-chan."

"Sorry, Naruto," Sakura says, and she means it. She opens the door to her open and gestures for Naruto to enter. "It's not like I want it that way. Things just have been crazy lately."

"You can make it up to me with dinner tonight," he quips. "Let's get ramen!"

Sakura rolls her eyes. Dinner with Naruto sounds tempting – she didn't have time for a proper lunch today – but she knows there's a pile of paperwork waiting on her desk. She weighs her options critically. "How about something with real vegetables?" she says distractedly.

"You can have my bamboo shoots," Naruto says graciously. "I don't really like them anyway."

A rumble of her stomach settles it for her. Sakura sighs and sweeps the pile of paperwork into a bag. She'll bring it home with her tonight. "Ichiraku?" she concedes.

Naruto's triumphant grin says it all. "Hell yeah!" he yells.

They leave the hospital shortly after, and Sakura glances up in wonder at the fading sunlight as they step out into the streets of Konoha. It's been a while since she got to leave work before nightfall. Beside her, Naruto's chattering is a familiar, soothing buzz. He is talking rapidly about the latest reconstruction works now – Tsunade has given him a significant amount of work to take charge of. Sakura smiles softly. Naruto's love for his village is obvious, and her own heart fills up with pride. They have come a long way.

They make their way towards Ichiraku. Naruto is telling her about Kakashi now. After the war, Tsunade had named Kakashi as her successor. These days, Kakashi spends most of his time trapped in the Hokage tower, being groomed to take over her duties.

They slide into seats at Ichiraku's counter, and Sakura giggles at Naruto's animated description of Kakashi's despair when presented with yet another pile of paperwork. The coronation ceremony won't be happening for another few months, but it is clear that Tsunade is already foisting off as much work as she can.

"Poor Kakashi-sensei," Sakura comments lightly, grinning. "I bet he doesn't even have time to read his porn these days."

Naruto snorts. "Baa-chan would kill him if he tried," he agrees.

Ayame approaches to take their orders, and Sakura suppresses a sigh of exasperation as Naruto rattles on an impossibly long list of orders. When they are done, Sakura rests her chin in the palm of one hand and sneaks a glance at Naruto.

"So, how's Hinata?" she asks cheekily.

The bashful, beautiful smile that steals across Naruto's face is adorable. Sakura wants to coo.

"She says hi," Naruto answers. There is contentment in his voice, and Sakura is glad. "We had lunch together today."

The budding relationship between Naruto and Hinata is a beautiful thing to watch. They had become close after the war – life is too short to delay the inevitable, and Sakura boldly claims responsibility for prodding Naruto in the right direction. Now there is a special kind of lightness in Naruto's steps; a certain glow to Hinata's smiles. Sakura thinks of all the years of loneliness Naruto had to bear while growing up, and is impossibly happy that he will never have to go through that again.

Their ramen orders arrive. Naruto lets out a whoop of delight before he all but shoves the noodles into his face. Sakura rolls her eyes, but it's hard to not to feel a rush of affection. She's missed spending time with Naruto.

Eventually, Naruto looks up from his enthusiastic slurping of noodles and heaves a sigh of satisfaction. "That was the best!" he declares, and peers over at Sakura. "You're so slow, Sakura-chan," he teases. "You're even worse than Sasuke-teme."

"Excuse me for having table manners," Sakura retorts haughtily, but she laughs. She takes a delicate bite of fishcake.

"Speaking of that asshole…" Naruto scratches his head and smiles. "You wanna join us for training this weekend?"

Sakura freezes, the memories of her last spar with Sasuke all too clear in her mind. She's not sure if she's ready for round two. "I don't know, Naruto," she answers at last. "I'm pretty busy this week."

But Naruto is nothing if not persistent. "Come on," he cajoles, and Sakura hears the familiar whine creeping into his voice. "It'll be fun! It'll be like the old times, but this time you get to pound him into the ground."

Sakura shakes her head. Naruto has a way of being carelessly honest, and she doesn't like to be reminded of her role as the weak link of Team 7. "I think I'll still end up being the one who gets pounded," she mutters under her breath, and gives her ramen a fierce stir.

Beside her, Naruto snorts. "You pound me all the time," he points out. Then his voice drops curiously, and he continues, "Admit it, I know you want to smack Sasuke around."

Sakura pauses. There is something odd about the inflection of Naruto's words. She looks over to Naruto, and she realizes that he is watching her quite carefully. She swallows and glances away. "Maybe," she answers casually. "Who wouldn't?"

Naruto shakes his head. "You're not happy he's back," he says surely.

Sakura's lips tighten. "I am happy!" she argues, but there is little heat in her voice. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm glad Sasuke-kun's back in Konoha."

"Come on, Sakura-chan, I'm not dumb." Naruto's eyes are serious. "You've been weird since he came back."

Sakura contemplates brushing Naruto's words off, but she knows he's not going to let it go. She sighs and shifts in her chair. Finally she peers up at Naruto, and tries not to grimace at the sight of his earnest blue-eyed gaze.

"I _am_ glad he's back," she says. The words come haltingly, softly. "I'm just figuring out where we stand."

She leaves out the bits about how she's still, on some level, afraid of Sasuke and how she doesn't know how much she _really_ trusts him. She doesn't think Naruto would really like to hear about that.

"That's stupid, Sakura-chan," Naruto says, but there is warmth and certainty in his voice. "You're his friend and his teammate. Oh and now you're his medic! You know he needs you."

Sakura musters a weak smile. She doesn't have the heart to rebut Naruto, but she knows that there is some truth in his words. Like it or not, Sasuke is incredibly alone in Konoha right now. He needs them, and it is this thought that Sakura uses to anchor herself.

"I know," she says at last, helplessly. "It's just – it's been so long. Sasuke-kun and I were never that close."

The truth stings, but she is old enough to admit it now. She has never understood Sasuke like Naruto and Kakashi-sensei did.

Naruto looks shocked. "What are you saying, Sakura-chan?" he asks, bewildered. "Don't you care about the bastard anymore?"

"I do!" Sakura exclaims. It is an instinctive, honest response. She struggles to find the words to explain. She's always known that this conversation was coming – has always known that Naruto would one day confront her about the distance she has tried to put between herself and Sasuke – but it doesn't make it any easier.

"Of course I do, Naruto. I've always cared about Sasuke-kun." It is true, and Sakura cannot help but feel stupid even as the words leave her lips.

She halts, and then she tries again. "I care, but I don't know how to help Sasuke-kun," she admits softly. She feels annoyed and tired and embarrassed all at the same time. "I'm trying to figure things out, okay?"

Naruto is silent for a moment. Then he shifts in his chair and turns towards Sakura. The warm hand that lands on her shoulder startles her, and she looks up to see Naruto smiling broadly at her. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Naruto says, with such confidence that Sakura feels compelled to believe him. "Things will work out. The bastard will be okay, you'll see. You'll both be okay."

She breaks into a nervous, relieved smile. She relaxes under the warmth of Naruto's grin, and thinks about her teammate's uncanny ability to make others feel better.

A moment later: "Sakura-chan? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Sakura pokes at her ramen.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna," Naruto says, sounding sheepish.

Sakura eyes him suspiciously. "Spit it out," she prods.

"Okay but you have to promise not to hit me!"

"Naruto…" she growls warningly.

Naruto laughs nervously. Then he blurts out, "Do you still love the bastard?"

Sakura stills, and chooses her words carefully. She can feel Naruto nearly twitching in anticipation next to her.

"Yes," she answers finally. "Yes, I do."

Before Naruto can say anything, Sakura turns to him and offers a wan smile. "I've never stopped loving Sasuke-kun, Naruto," she says gently. "I'm not in love, but I've never stopped loving him. Isn't it the same with you?"

* * *

Against her better judgment, Sakura finds herself turning up at the Uchiha estate early on Saturday morning. As sunlight pools gently through the trees, she spots Sai and Sasuke waiting quietly in the distance. She greets them softly, beginning a series of simple kata to warm up for the spar ahead.

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto shows up, yawning and grumbling about the early hour.

Naruto had been endlessly persistent at dinner, and in the end Sakura had agreed to join them for training. Just as well – she has an A-ranked mission coming up in a week, and extra training always helps.

It takes a while to come to an agreement, but eventually Sakura pairs off with Sasuke against Naruto and Sai. She is secretly pleased with this arrangement. If Sasuke is on the same team, then she knows she can avoid being placed in any difficult or compromising positions.

The next two hours pass in an exhilarating blur of fierce punches, sharp kunai and heady adrenaline. Sasuke turns out to be a surprisingly better teammate than she remembers; he covers her back at the right moments and he lets her do the same. There is something uncomfortably familiar and nostalgic in the way they move together. It reminds her of cherished genin missions, and more recently of the war.

Sakura doesn't want to admit it, but she's glad she took up Naruto's invitation. It's been a while since she got to train like this, and when the spar is over, her chest is heaving and her muscles are burning with a pleasurable ache.

Sakura drops down against a tree and sighs happily. She heals the cuts and bruises that decorate her arms. Then she turns to the teammate closest to her – Sai – and begins her work as the medic of the team.

She is halfway through working on a flailing and whining Naruto when there is a rustle in the tree above. A second later, Kakashi drops down soundlessly in the midst of the clearing. The corner of his eye crinkles in a smile and his trademark Icha Icha Paradise is, curiously, nowhere in sight.

"Yo," Kakashi greets pleasantly.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaims, and smacks Naruto when he wriggles a little too enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?"

Their former teacher pouts a little and points a finger at them accusingly. "You didn't invite sensei to training," he sighs melodramatically. "I see that you're all grown up and don't need me now."

Sasuke snorts, Naruto scoffs, and Sakura rolls her eyes.

Sai tilts his head curiously at the silver-haired jounin. "Your porn is missing," he points out helpfully. "Perhaps you are seeking us for similar stimulation?"

"Sai!" Sakura shrieks, flushing. Naruto is dying of laughter. She tosses a rock in his direction without much thought, and Sai shifts slightly to dodge.

"We thought you'd be cooped up in Baa-chan's tower of doom," Naruto declares, rubbing his head where Sakura has thumped him. "How'd you get out anyway?"

Kakashi gives a little shudder. "Alcohol," he states simply.

Sakura rolls her eyes and makes a mental note to ask Shizune to keep an eye on Tsunade. Really, it shouldn't be _that_ easy to bribe that woman.

"Are you gonna treat us to breakfast?" Naruto voices cheekily. There is a little glint in his eyes, and Sakura grins as Kakashi makes a noncommittal grunt of sorts. Looks like Naruto is going to secure them a free meal.

She pats Naruto on the head to indicate that she is done, and gets to her feet. Crossing the clearing, she approaches Sasuke, It's only been a few days since his hospital appointment, but she can already see the improvement since he began training daily. He looks more rested now, and noticeably more relaxed. The sleeping pills must have helped too, Sakura decides.

Healing chakra flares up in her palm. Sakura moves methodically, running her hand over the bruises spreading across his ribs. Naruto had kicked him hard earlier, but it looks like nothing has been fractured.

"Want anything from the Land of Hot Water?" Sakura asks offhandedly, addressing Sasuke and Sai. Naruto is distracted – he is busy demanding breakfast from Kakashi, who is coming up with an admirable list of excuses. "I've got a mission coming up."

"When are you going, Sakura-chan?" Naruto interrupts with interest, breaking off from his argument with Kakashi. "Teme and I have got something coming up near the border next week." He pauses, scratching his head. "Wait, is it next week? Maybe it's this week…"

Sasuke's snort of derision is audible. "Ten days, idiot," he mutters.

Sakura frowns. They'll unseal Sasuke's chakra for the mission, she knows, but she isn't sure if they'll let him use his Sharingan. In his current state of health, though, she's willing to bet that he won't come back unscathed.

She voices none of these concerns, of course. Instead, Sakura finishes up with Sasuke, touching a single finger to his face. The cut on his lip closes up almost immediately. Satisfied, she pulls away.

"I leave at the end of the week," she says cheerfully. "It's an A-rank, so I'll be gone for a while."

Naruto looks concerned. He doesn't press her for details, because he knows by now that she won't reveal any. "Be careful, Sakura-chan," he says instead. "You're scary as hell when you get serious, but you'll be careful, won't ya?"

Sakura smiles. "I think I should be saying that to you two," she teases.

But she acknowledges Naruto's worry. It's been a while since Sakura got assigned on an A-ranked mission, so she knows she needs to be extra alert, even if she isn't down for a major role on this mission.

She's glad about that actually – she _really_ doesn't like honey traps. She doesn't think she's very good at them anyway. Seduction and gathering intelligence is kind of hard when you have a large forehead and glaringly pink hair.

They leave for breakfast soon after. Sakura teams up with Naruto and together they make a formidable pair, so it is easy enough to bully Kakashi into treating them. Even Sasuke tags along grudgingly. They leave the Uchiha grounds, making their way through the village while squabbling, laughing, sulking.

Surrounded by her favorite boys in the world, Sakura thinks of Naruto's words and agrees. Maybe they'll all be okay.

* * *

On Thursday, Sakura leaves the hospital early.

She makes sure she leaves instructions with the rest of the staff in the hospital, and gives Kentaro a list of tasks she wants him to complete for her. Then she heads over to her parents' place for dinner, where her mother makes an effort to stuff her with so much food that she feels like she may actually explode.

She drops by Naruto's apartment the night before to say goodbye. Naruto's hug is tight and protective. Sakura spends some time nagging him to be careful. Before she leaves, she reminds him to buy something nice for Hinata when he's out on his own mission. She also makes a mental note to keep an eye out for a particular brand of ink, as Sai has requested.

Finally, she sends Sasuke a note and a small pack of herbs by courier hawk. No sleeping pills on missions, she reminds him. They're too strong. But Sakura includes the herbs and tells him that they may help a little with nightmares and muscle tension.

Sakura leaves Konoha before dawn on Friday.

The following Wednesday, Naruto and Sasuke leave for Oto.

Theirs is a simple search-and-destroy mission. There are reports that a few of Orochimaru's abandoned bases and laboratories have been taken over by groups of hostile mercenaries and rogue nin. Sasuke has been put on the team for his familiarity with Sound, and part of Naruto's job is specifically to keep him in line.

It will be weeks before any of them return to Konoha.

* * *

Sakura's cheeks are starting to cramp.

"More, sir?" she offers politely, cradling an expensive bottle of imported wine lightly in her hands. The practiced smile stretching her lips never fades.

The middle-aged man sitting by her side barely regards her as he flicks a wrist in agreement. He is deep in conversation with his companion, trading details of trade agreements and shipment dates.

Sakura nods and leans forward. Wisps of brown hair fall gently into her face. She looks, for all purposes, like she's utterly consumed by the important task of refilling the man's empty cup. The truth, however, is that she is listening keenly to the details of their conversation, cataloging the information away.

The flimsy yukata she wears gapes open indecently then, revealing a hint of creamy skin and tantalizing cleavage. Sakura pulls it close discreetly, and the blush that heats up her cheeks is not entirely forced.

Sometimes, she thinks, she kind of hates her job.

She is in a private suite in a large hot spring resort. The target is a prominent merchant suspected to be a key figure in several underground drug trafficking circles. It is a delicate mission – the man is apparently a distant relative of the damiyo of the Land of Lightning. Konoha has no desire to be implicated in his death.

Sakura smiles another smile that does not quite reach her eyes as she refills drinks for the guests. Well, the man is certainly paranoid. She counts the number of guards in the room and patrolling in the cold outside. Their target has hired a large number of mercenaries for this trip – mostly chuunin-level, but she can also sense a few with significant coiling reserves of chakra.

She suppresses her chakra even further and hopes that they won't have to face these ones ones.

Tonight, Sakura is Momoko, a hardworking young girl working as an attendant at a hot spring resort. Her team had infiltrated this resort several days ago, intercepting correspondence with the target and waiting patiently until the target arrived on a business retreat. The rest of the resort is empty – their target had conveniently booked the entire place for the duration of his trip.

Sakura knows what she has to do tonight. They are to regroup with one of their own and eliminate the target once enough intelligence has been gathered.

To be fair, Sakura is quite happy about her role this evening. She has no envy for her fellow kunoichi currently sprawled across the target's lap. Tenten is unrecognizable under that henge – she sports full, red lips and long dark hair which spills across her back in soft curls. She has been travelling with the target's party for a while now. Tonight, she plays her role with aplomb, rolling her hips and laughing breathlessly into the man's ear.

Sakura shakes her head inwardly. Their target is a civilian in his fifties who has managed to retain a roguish, rough sort of attractiveness. There are worse men to seduce, Sakura thinks.

Still, she can imagine Tenten's vehement bitching when this is all over.

As the night progresses, the small party gets increasingly raucous. Sakura keeps up a meek smile, filling glasses and declining drinks. "I'm on duty, sir," she explains shyly, when one of the men gets a little too grabby and insistent on sharing his alcohol. "My boss doesn't like us to drink on duty."

She is experienced enough to pretend to give in every once in a while. It's necessary to keep the men happy. She plays her part conscientiously; she is well aware of the watchful gaze of the guards. It doesn't matter too much anyway; by now, the men are much too drunk to realize that she is barely sipping from the cup. The drink is drugged – but Sakura makes it a point to personally test out every drug she's created, so she's developed some level of resistance over the years.

At some point, she notices the target drunkenly pressing sloppy open-mouthed kisses against Tenten's throat. Tenten's head is thrown back, and she lets out a kittenish mewl. With a start, Sakura notices that the man has slipped his hand into the folds of Tenten's yukata and is now fondling her breast roughly.

Well, the business discussion is clearly over, she thinks with some distaste, watching curiously as the men make bawdy jokes and solicit the attentions of the few escorts they have brought along. Sakura shrinks back against the wall, hoping that none of them will be stupid enough to try and hit on her. She keeps a careful watch over Tenten and the target out of the corner of her eye.

At last, their target rises to his feet, pulling Tenten with him. Her yukata hangs loosely off one shoulder, and one milky breast peeks out brazenly.

"Goodnight, gentlemen!" the man bellows, slinging one arm around Tenten's waist possessively. A few guards rise to leave with the couple. "Me and Yuka are off to have a good time."

A roar of lewd laughter swells up from the men. Sakura cringes inwardly. Yeah, Tenten's definitely going to be bitching about this one for a long time.

Sakura glances up at Tenten. She's just in time to see Tenten make eye contact. Tenten blinks slowly, deliberately – one, two – and cocks her head to the left. Then she is turning back towards their target, curling her fists in his shirt.

Sakura understands.

She waits several minutes after they have left, still playing her role as the shy attendant. Eventually, one of the men come stumbling over to her, threading his fingers through her hair. Sakura struggles against the instinctive urge to punch the living daylights out of the obviously intoxicated man.

Instead she turns to the nearest guard and widens her eyes. "Can I go now?" she all but whimpers, pushing weakly at her zealous suitor.

The guard regards her for a moment, and Sakura sees a flash of pity in his eyes. "Get out of here, kid," he tells her gruffly. "Your work is done."

Sakura can barely keep the smirk of satisfaction off her face as she scampers to her feet and exits the room. _You have no idea, my friend_, she thinks silently. Her work is indeed nearly over. She makes her way rapidly through the corridor, mindful of the watchful gazes of the hidden guards. She knows she's not completely out of the woods yet. It takes her two minutes to reach into the staff quarters, and she notes that there are no guards in the vicinity.

Once she is inside the room, Sakura curls her fingers around the map she has managed to steal from the intoxicated man who was just stroking her hair a few minutes ago. It is an unexpected yield, and she tucks the map away for safekeeping. Then, she presses her hand to her earpiece. "Done," Sakura breathes. The drug she has slipped into the alcohol and food will be taking effect soon; she estimates the men will start feeling drowsy in another five minutes.

"Good," her team leader's voice sounds in her ear, flickering with static. He is a jounin in his late twenties named Ueda, whom she's met for the first time on this mission. Sakura likes Ueda; he treats her with respect and keeps a comfortable distance. "We've disabled the perimeter guards. Clear out, Haruno."

"Got it," Sakura says quietly. She keeps the henge – pink hair is a liability when making a quick escape in darkness – and discards the thin robe she's worn all night with a soft sigh of distaste. Sakura takes a moment to nudge it aside with her toe, frowning. Seriously, she has no idea how people ever get any work done in those things.

Well, time to get out. Sakura presses her hands together in a series of rapid signs – then she vanishes.

She lands soundlessly a moment later on the broad branches of a tall tree overlooking the resort. Sakura sends a small, controlled pump of chakra to her feet instinctively, allowing her to find her balance as she reorients herself to her new surroundings. She's mastered this transportation jutsu only a while ago, and the heady excitement of success still gets to her.

Sakura allows herself a tiny smile. Seconds later, two familiar chakra signatures appear by her side.

"Haruno," her team leader greets, noiselessly moving closer. "Any problems?"

Sakura shakes her head. She is optimistic that they'll get a clean, uncomplicated end to this mission soon. She finds herself missing Konoha already – she's only just come back from that long trip to Suna, after all.

"Did you come across anything useful?" her other teammate, a chuunin named Matsuo, asks.

She thinks of the map she stole, now tucked safely in the pouch strapped to her waist. Sakura smiles. "Locations," she says vaguely. "And shipment dates."

Ueda's face is obscured by a mask, but the crinkle of his eyes tells her that he is pleased. "Good work," he says briskly.

They fall into a comfortable, alert silence. They are waiting for Tenten now. If all goes well then they expect her to appear within the next hour, having discreetly killed their target and slipped out of the compound.

Sakura's smile dims. Since the end of the war, Tenten had become more withdrawn, more detached, and more efficient than ever. These days, the older girl has acquired a reputation for not settling for anything less than absolute success. Grief has a strange way of warping people, Sakura reflects, and is quietly sad for Tenten.

They wait in silence. The temperature dips as the night grows darker, but they remain in their positions. Sakura watches the resort steadily, focusing on the comforting flicker of lanterns dotting the grounds. She doesn't sense any disturbances, so she's cautiously optimistic that Tenten will emerge successful.

An hour passes. Tenten does not appear.

At the ninety minute mark, Sakura senses Matsuo shifting anxiously beside her. Still, Tenten does not appear. "Ueda-taichou," Matsuo voices hesitantly. "Should we…?"

"Ten more minutes," Ueda mutters. Ten more minutes before they check in on Tenten. Sakura doesn't say anything, but her eyes sharpen. She's getting a little twitchy as well.

They needn't have bothered. A few seconds later, they spot ominous, glowing pinpricks of lights – lanterns, no doubt carried by guards – spilling out restlessly across the resort grounds. Sakura barely has time to tense up at the sight when static crackles sharply and suddenly through their earpieces. They flinch in unison at the abrasive sound – and then Tenten is speaking, her voice strained and urgent and breathless.

"_Fuck_," she gasps eloquently. Static cuts off the rest of her words.

Sakura's heart sinks. In the darkness, she takes a deep breath and readies for battle.

* * *

**A/N**: Happy Friday! A bit of a transitional chapter - not entirely happy with how this one turned out, to be honest, but I'm working on it. Hoped you guys enjoyed the update anyway, and thank you for the support! Take care :)


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